Ornamental grasses are tremendously useful in the landscape. Are you growing a pocket prairie? Adding at least one native grass species will diversify your plot. Are you trying to attract birds to your yard? Grasses provide food and shelter for many species of birds. Do you need a larger ground cover to fill a corner of your cottage garden? Choose a densely mounded bunchgrass. No matter what type of garden you have, there is almost certainly an ornamental grass to match.
Grasses are widely adapted to many different climates and growing conditions. The grasses in this list will thrive in full sun, but be aware of soil conditions. Some grasses prefer moist soils, while others prefer dry conditions. Check out the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone map to learn your zone. This will help you find the best grasses for your region.
In general, ornamental grasses are easy to grow. Most will grow very well without any extra coaxing. Annual grasses will probably re-seed themselves each year, while perennial species will typically go dormant for the winter, though a few species are evergreen. When plant vigor starts to decline or a grass clump has outgrown its allotted space, it’s time to do some thinning. You can also remove unwanted seedlings each spring to help control population growth.
Are you ready to introduce some uniquely showy vegetation into your landscape? Let’s dig a little deeper into 21 beautiful varieties of ornamental grass that make great landscaping plants for your sunniest locations.
Seeds Mentioned in This Article
Blue Grama Grass
Ornamental Millet
Purple Majesty Ornamental Millet Seeds
Frosted Explosion
Frosted Explosion Grass Seeds
Autumn Flame Grass
Showy autumn flame grass displays eye-catching red foliage in fall.
 | botanical name Miscanthus ‘Purpurascens’ |
|---|---|
 | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
 | height 4 – 5 feet |
 | hardiness zones 5 – 9 |
Autumn flame grass is a beautifully showy grass with brilliant red fall foliage. This ornamental grass is very versatile and easy to grow. Use it as an accent plant, especially where its foliage can be seen and appreciated in the cooler autumn months when the fluffy seed plumes and colorful foliage will complement some nearby fall-blooming flowers such as chrysanthemums and asters.
Autumn flame grass will do well in average-quality, well-drained soil that stays somewhat moist. Since this plant can easily reach five feet tall and three feet across, it requires a location with plenty of growing space. Clumps of this grass will spread by rhizomes, retaining a very attractive and densely packed upright form.
Blue Fescue ‘Elijah Blue’
This compact blue fescue grass is ideal for rock gardens or borders.
| | botanical name Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’ |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 0.75 – 1 foot |
| | hardiness zones 4 – 8 |
There are several beautiful varieties of blue fescue grass, and ‘Elijah Blue’ is a popular and widely available cultivar. Because of its compact form, ‘Elijah Blue’ is a great plant for a rock garden or for use along a walkway or flower garden border.
Blue fescue grasses may stay evergreen in favorable conditions. These plants will die back in very cold climates and in hot summers. Clumps of ‘Elijah Blue’ will spread to form dense mounds, but these plants don’t spread aggressively. If you want to use this grass as a ground cover, you will need to plant several clumps closely together and enjoy the mass of thin, silvery green foliage.
Blue Grama Grass
This US-native grass is easy to grow from seed.
| | botanical name Bouteloua gracilis |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 0.75 – 2 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3 – 10 |
Blue grama grass is a beautiful ornamental grass native to southern and western North America. It is easily grown from seed and will self-seed in ideal conditions, spreading to form large, attractive clusters.
Blue grama grass has thin, wiry foliage gracefully arching in rounded tufts. During the summer, it blooms with showy inflorescences that branch outward from the stems at dramatic angles. These flowers make a nice addition to a fresh or dried flower arrangement. In the autumn, the grassy foliage turns bronze with perhaps a tinge of red.
Blue Oat Grass
This is a showy ornamental with thin pale green foliage and tall, appealing flowers in spring-summer.
| | botanical name Helictotrichon sempervirens |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 2 – 3 feet |
| | hardiness zones 4 – 8 |
Blue oat grass is an easy-to-grow ornamental grass with showy leaves and flowers. It looks great when grown in a large container or as part of a xeriscape or prairie-themed landscape.
Blue oat grass produces dense, rounded clumps of very thin, pale green foliage. In mild climates, the foliage may stay semi-evergreen, retaining its appeal even through the winter. In late spring to early summer, many tall flowering stems bearing thin panicles reach up above the foliage to create an appealing floral display.
‘Dancing Wind’ Big Bluestem
A stunning big bluestem cultivar, ‘Dancing Wind’ features dense clusters of mostly green leaves.
| | botanical name Andropogon gerardii ‘Dancing Wind’ |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 5 – 6 feet |
| | hardiness zones 4 – 9 |
‘Dancing Wind’ is a big bluestem cultivar with stunning fall color. This ornamental grass develops broad, dense, upright clusters of mostly green leaves. Dramatic reddish-bronze panicles bloom in late summer, giving way to attractive, long-standing seedheads. The leaves change to a brilliant scarlet red for a beautiful fall display.
Leave ‘Dancing Wind’ standing through the winter to enjoy the colorful and long-lasting beauty of this plant. Birds will stop by to forage on the seeds and seek shelter in and around the vegetation clumps. ‘Dancing Wind’ is a showy grass that will thrive in a sunny location with well-drained soil. Allow it plenty of space to avoid crowding with nearby plants.
Deergrass
This grass reaches five feet in height and four feet in width.
| | botanical name Muhlenbergia rigens |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 3 – 6 feet |
| | hardiness zones 6 – 10 |
Deergrass is an easy-to-grow bunchgrass native to the southwestern United States and Mexico. It can grow up to six feet tall and four feet wide, so you’ll want to give it plenty of space in your xeriscape garden.
Deergrass develops large, rounded mounds of thin-bladed, pale green vegetation. In the spring, it produces several tall yellowish flowering panicles. Birds will come to feed on the seeds, and ground-foraging birds will seek shelter in the vegetation. Deergrass is evergreen and will seem to always have a combination of green and yellow-brown leaves.
‘Fireworks’ Fountain Grass
An eye-catching fountain grass, ‘Fireworks’ displays vivid red and green striped leaves in dense clusters.
| | botanical name Pennisetum setaceum ‘Fireworks’ |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 3 – 4 feet |
| | hardiness zones 9 – 10 |
‘Fireworks’ is an extremely showy fountain grass cultivar. This grass has beautiful, deep red and green striped leaves that form dense, bushy clusters. It retains its bright colors throughout the entire growing season, eventually reaching three to four feet tall and up to three feet wide.
You’ll want to be sure to place ‘Fireworks’ in a location where you can fully see and appreciate its fine foliage. Grow this grass in full sun or light, dappled shade with medium-moisture, well-drained soil. Unless you live in a very warm climate zone, you’ll need to grow your ‘Fireworks’ as an annual.
‘First Knight’ Fountain Grass
Dark purple-green ‘First Knight’ fountain reaches up to 5 feet tall.
| | botanical name Pennisetum ‘First Knight’ |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 4 – 5 feet |
| | hardiness zones 7 – 11 |
‘First Knight’ is a fountain grass cultivar with beautiful, dark purple-green leaves. ‘First Knight’ prefers rich, moist, well-drained soil. This grass is best grown in warmer climates where it is a perennial. In cooler climate zones, however, it can still be grown as an annual.
‘First Knight’ can grow quite large, reaching up to five feet tall and three feet across. This is a great plant for a larger sunny perennial garden, or because of its large size, you can grow it alongside some ornamental shrubs for some contrasting foliage forms.
‘Hameln’ Dwarf Fountain Grass
A compact fountain grass cultivar, ‘Hameln’ grows to three feet tall.
| | botanical name Cenchrus alopecuroides ‘Hameln’ |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 2 – 3 feet |
| | hardiness zones 5 – 9 |
‘Hameln’ is a compact fountain grass cultivar. It grows to three feet tall and will perform best, with the most dense growth, in full sun. This plant needs well-drained soil and would be a good choice for a xeriscape or large container. Many fountain grass plants can become weedy, but this cultivar is reported to have sterile seeds and should not spread aggressively.
‘Hameln’ produces dense mounts of thin, wiry, dark green foliage. In late summer and fall, ‘Hameln’ produces many tall flowering spikes with a dense bottlebrush appearance. The flowers range from white to creamy pink or lavender hues. These are long-standing on the plant and can be left to provide ornamental value through the winter. The flowerheads also make a good addition to dried flower arrangements.
‘Hush Puppy’ Fountain Grass
A sterile, non-invasive ornamental grass, ‘Hush Puppy’ grows bushier with age.
| | botanical name Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hush Puppy’ |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 2.5 – 3 feet |
| | hardiness zones 5 – 9 |
‘Hush Puppy’ is a beautiful ornamental grass cultivar. It is bred to be sterile and should not self-seed or become invasive, though it will spread outward by root rhizomes. Clusters will become larger and bushier as the plant grows older, creating beautiful fluffy-tufted clumps.
The foliage of this fountain grass stays fairly compact, reaching up to three feet tall. The leaves are thin and gently arching. Spectacular flowering spikes bloom in late summer. The flowers are soft and bushy with a pale pink tinge. At full bloom, a mature ‘Hush Puppy’ grass plant will appear to be covered with feathery pink flowers.
If you love the look of delicate, wispy grasses that work beautifully as bouquet filler, also check out ‘Frosted Explosion’ grass, with shimmery panicles that shine in the sun.
‘Karl Foerster’ Feather Reed Grass
Dramatic ‘Karl Foerster’ grass features showy bronze spikes in summer.
| | botanical name Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 3 – 5 feet |
| | hardiness zones 5 – 9 |
‘Karl Foerster’ grass is a large and showy cultivar of feather reed grass. It is an excellent grass for a large, open area with plenty of sunlight. ‘Karl Foerster’ is not too picky about soil types. This is a cool-season grass, and the foliage will look its best in the winter and spring before the height of summer and hot weather, especially in warmer climates.
‘Karl Foerster’ is a very dramatic grass that can grow up to five feet tall. It produces a mass of creamy bronze flower spikes that sway gently, even in very slight breezes. When grown in large masses, this gives the effect of undulating ocean waves.
Little Bluestem
This grass thrives in diverse conditions, especially full sun and well-drained soil.
| | botanical name Schizachyrium scoparium |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 2 – 4 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3 – 9 |
Little bluestem is an understated bunchgrass native to eastern North America. It grows well in a range of conditions. Little bluestem is a good wildlife-friendly grass that attracts both butterflies and birds.
There are several interesting little bluestem cultivars available commercially with some variability in stem, leaf, and flower color. Most little bluestem plants have light greenish-blue leaves, some with reddish tips. The flower panicles bloom in late summer and fall with a purple-bronze seedhead. Grow little bluestem in bunches in a naturalized area or even in a large container.
Northern Sea Oats
A unique ornamental grass native to the eastern US, Northern sea oats thrive in moist soil.
| | botanical name Chasmanthium latifolium |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 2 – 5 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3 – 8 |
Northern sea oats, also called river oats, is a unique-looking ornamental grass native to the eastern United States. Grow it as a wetland border plant or in a rain garden where it can enjoy consistently moist soil. This grass grows well both in full sun or partial shade and can also be grown along a woodland edge.
Northern sea oats form spreading clumps of tall, grassy vegetation. In the fall, tall flowering seedheads form, looking like feathery growths of numerous flattened, nodding oats. The dried seedheads make a lovely addition to a dried flower arrangement or nature craft projects.
Birds also enjoy eating the dried seeds. Northern sea oats can spread quickly, so be prepared to do some weeding each spring to remove unwanted seedlings.
‘Overdam’ Feather Reed Grass
A variegated medium-sized grass, ‘Overdam’ thrives in full sun and moist soil.
| | botanical name Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Overdam’ |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 2.5 – 3 feet |
| | hardiness zones 4 – 8 |
‘Overdam’ is a hybridized species of feather reed grass that makes a desirable landscaping plant. This medium-sized bunchgrass would make a fine addition to a rain garden or wetland border.
‘Overdam’ feather reed grass develops a combination of thin, upright, and arching leaves, giving it a somewhat uneven but more compact appearance than many larger ornamental grasses. The leaves are variegated yellow and green and form dense clumps. Its pinkish-green flowers bloom in the late summer and fall and attract seed-eating birds.
Pink Muhly Grass
Showy native grass, pink muhly is a vibrant landscaping plant that thrives in well-drained soil.
| | botanical name Muhlenbergia capillaris |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 2 – 3 feet |
| | hardiness zones 5 – 11 |
Pink muhly grass is one of the showiest ornamental grasses around. This beautiful and colorful grass is native to central and eastern North America, where it grows in dry grasslands and open woodlands. As a landscaping plant, pink muhly grass will perform best with the most abundant flowers in full sun, although it will also tolerate light shade. The soil should be well drained with dry to medium moisture.
Pink muhly grass has thin leaves that grow into dense, rounded clumps. For most of the growing season, you may think that’s all there is to this plant, but in the autumn, it explodes into bloom with numerous delicate pink panicles.
A mature plant in full bloom is quite a spectacle, appearing to have a rich pink haze all around it. Leave your pink muhly grass standing through the winter for structure and interest throughout the colder months of the year.
Prairie Dropseed
A native grass in central and eastern North America, Prairie dropseed produces seeds that birds love.
| | botanical name Sporobolus heterolepis |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 2 – 3 feet |
| | hardiness zones 3 – 9 |
Prairie dropseed is native throughout much of central and eastern North America but prefers slightly cooler climates. Grow it on a hillside, as a large ground cover, or in a xeriscape landscape.
Prairie dropseed is a graceful-looking grass, with its long, gently arching foliage touching the ground. Mature plants can grow up to three feet tall and three feet wide, so be sure to give them plenty of space to sprawl. From late summer to fall, prairie dropseed displays showy pinkish panicles, which will attract plenty of seed-eating birds.
Purple Lovegrass
This plant features stunning reddish-purple panicles floating above leafy mounds.
| | botanical name Eragrostis spectabilis |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 1 – 2 feet |
| | hardiness zones 5 – 9 |
Purple lovegrass is a beautifully showy grass that is native throughout much of central and eastern North America. Grow this grass in a naturalized area, in a container, xeriscape, or in a pocket prairie garden. Purple lovegrass does well in warm locations with gritty, well-drained soil.
This grass develops beautiful dense mounds of one-foot-tall foliage. In mid-summer, it blooms with two-foot-tall flowering panicles. These panicles have a lovely reddish-purple tint that seems to float above the leafy mounds like a soft, misty cloud. Leave the foliage throughout the winter for long-season interest, and birds will enjoy eating the seeds.
Purple Muhly
Native to the southeastern US, purple muhly grass thrives in sandy coastal areas.
| | botanical name Muhlenbergia sericea |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 2 – 5 feet |
| | hardiness zones 7 – 11 |
The purple muhly grass, also known as sweet grass or dune hairgrass, is a beautifully showy grass native to the southeastern United States. In its natural habitat, it grows in sand dunes and other sandy coastal habitats and is, therefore, an ideal choice for this region. Grow it in a warm and sunny location with sandy, sharply drained soil.
Purple muhly grass has long, thin, gracefully arching leaves. The leaves are dark green and form large mounded tussocks of vegetation. In the fall, this grass sends up a dense mass of highly showy panicles with a pale pinkish-purple tinge. The panicles are delicate, soft, and misty looking. Allow the vegetation to stand through the winter for continued structural interest, even after the plants have turned brown for the year.
Purple Millet ‘Purple Majesty’
Showy purple millet ‘Pearl Majesty’ grows up to 5 feet with broad, corn-like leaves.
| | botanical name Pennisetum glaucum ‘Purple Majesty’ |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 3 – 5 feet |
| | hardiness zones 2 – 11 |
Purple millet ‘Pearl Majesty’ is an extremely showy annual grass. This ornamental plant can grow up to five feet tall and has broad, corn-like leaves growing up a thick, upright stem. The leaves are dark green with a heavy purple tint. Purple millet blooms in late summer with large, thick, cattail-like seedheads.
This is an excellent plant for attracting birds. Leave these plants standing into the wintertime, and many foraging seed-eating birds and mammals will come by to enjoy picking the seeds from the dried seedheads.
You can easily grow purple millet ‘Purple Majesty’ in any sunny location with medium-moisture, well-drained soil. Incorporate it into a bird garden, annual flower bed, or large container.
Ruby Grass
A perennial grass native to Africa, ruby grass thrives in warm climates.
| | botanical name Melinis nerviglumis ‘Savannah’ |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun |
| | height 0.5 – 1.5 feet |
| | hardiness zones 8 – 10 |
Ruby grass is a perennial grass that thrives in warm climates and is native to Africa. In cooler climates, Zones 7 and below, it can be easily grown as an annual. You can start ruby grass from seed each spring or pot outdoor plants in the fall and overwinter them indoors in a cool location before planting them out again the following spring. Ruby grass needs full sun and moist, well-drained soil.
Ruby grass is a beautiful, compact bunchgrass. The thin, silvery blue-green leaves form dense, spiky clusters during the summer. By late summer, ruby grass develops soft, feathery flowering panicles. The panicles are pale to deep pink before fading to creamy brown seedheads in the fall. The fall foliage is also attractive, turning reddish at the tips. This grass is a good option for container gardening.
‘Shenandoah’ Switchgrass
A compact switchgrass called ‘Shenandoah’ showcases showy foliage and dark pinkish-red panicles in summer.
| | botanical name Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’ |
|---|---|
| | sun requirements Full sun to partial shade |
| | height 3 – 4 feet |
| | hardiness zones 5 – 9 |
‘Shenandoah’ is a switchgrass cultivar with showy foliage and flowers. This grass develops dense, upright clusters of green foliage during the growing season. In mid to late summer, it blooms with tall, showy, dark pinkish-red panicles that look somewhat like bunches of bird’s foot shapes waving in the breeze. In the fall, the seedheads turn bronze-brown and attract seed-eating birds, while the leafy foliage becomes bright crimson red.
‘Shenandoah’ is a fairly compact variety of switchgrass, growing three to four feet tall. Use it in an area with moist, well-drained soil and plenty of bright sunlight. This is a great grass for attracting wildlife, creating vegetative edges, and incorporating it into prairie gardens and native plant gardens.
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be a bit overwhelming to choose from so many options, but not every grass will thrive in every location. There are some simple tricks to picking the best grasses for your specific landscape.
- Look at the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone map, identify your zone, and select grasses that are hardy in this zone.
- Pay attention to the available sunlight, soil type, and soil drainage at your site and match grasses that thrive in these conditions.
- Look for species that are best suited to the space you have available. Choose taller and broader species for larger areas and more compact species for smaller areas.
- Avoid weedy and invasive species.
- If you want to attract wildlife and create a native ecosystem, choose species native to your region.
Yes! Many ornamental grasses will grow very well in raised beds and containers. If you are container gardening, use a large enough container to support a larger plant because most grasses are bunching and will spread into larger and larger clumps through root rhizomes. Using a container or raised bed is also a great way to grow these beautiful plants while being able to easily manage their rapid growth rate. Just keep an eye on the moisture levels of your planters, especially for moisture-loving species, since containers will tend to dry quickly.
There are a number of ornamental grass species that are invasive and you should avoid growing these species. Invasive grasses and many other invasive species produce copious numbers of seeds that allow these plants to spread quickly and colonize nearby natural areas, often choking out native species as a result. Do a little research before buying any new garden plant to make sure it isn’t invasive in your region.
Final Thoughts
You can use ornamental grasses in just about any landscape. They are versatile, easy to grow, and beautiful. Ornamental grasses are so diverse that you can find varieties to fill your specific needs. Use smaller species for containers, edges, borders, and small garden plots. Plant larger grasses in prairie gardens, larger landscapes, and as background plants. Some of the taller grass species can even be used to create hedgerows and natural barriers.
Many ornamental grasses make great plants for a wildlife garden, attracting birds, butterflies, and many other beneficial insects. Enjoy some of these showy, colorful, and long-lasting plants to help add structure and diversity to your own landscape.
