Share
A beautiful garden is a joy to behold.
Imagine sitting on your balcony orporch swingand hearing the gentle rustle of ornamental grasses in the breeze.
The beautiful texture of these fascinating plants can enhance every garden.
They also happen to look great when theyre dried as a decoration.
There was a massive craze fordried Pampas grassin 2021.
Image credits:JACLOU-DL
What Are Ornamental Grasses?
Ornamental grasses are decorative grass plants chosen by many gardeners to enhance their gardens with additional texture and color.
Many decorative grasses are colorful, with some producing showy flower heads lasting weeks or sometimes months.
The perennial grasses are low maintenance and last two or more years.
Different grasses are better suited for shade, erosion prevention, or to become hedges.
We have grouped these decorative grasses by size and included their best use.
Well let you choose the one that fits your vibe.
Pro tip: many people have issues with deer grazing in their gardens and damaging plants.
To help protect your plants from deer, we have also added some deer-resistant grasses to the list.
These plants need enough space to grow well and reach a mature size.
Here are a few of the most popular tall decorative grasses.
Image credits:wildflower1213
One of the best drought-tolerant ornamental grasses
Pampas grass is a member of thePoaceaefamily.
These warm-season grasses are tall and well known for their feather-like white plumes that grow above blue-gray foliage.
The white flower plumes are usually seen in late summer and fall.
Pampas are pretty hardy and can thrive in tough spots.
If you plant them close together, they will grow and enclose a space, creating enough privacy.
Ensure their roots cant spread too far, or theyll become invasive.
They grow feathery-plumed heads, appearing in late summer or early fall.
The plants sharp, vertical accent adds plenty of color and texture to the yard.
Since they grow tall, feather reed grass looks delicate and graceful, swaying in the breeze.
They might just end up becoming yourfavorite plant.
Image credits:alicjaguziewiczmilardo
Most unique pattern
This tall grass has an elegant arching form and produces colorful blooms.
Its stunning variegated leaves with creamy golden stripes can add contrasting texture to your garden.
The color becomes golden during the fall, turning beige in late fall.
Zebra grass grows relatively fast and dies in winter, only to return in spring.
This exotic and tropical-looking grass should be placed with green vegetation to add pops of color.
It gets its name from its bracts, which resemble umbrella spokes.
The plants leaves grow unusually by clasping the stem, making them hard to distinguish.
Speaking of umbrellas, here are some cuteanimals with natural umbrellas.
These larger grasses have nearly 600 varieties and are native to tropical locations.
Like many grasses, it grows very quickly and reaches staggering heights.
Thats why its so popular in landscaping.
it’s possible for you to plant it in a way that helps add privacy to your yard.
Bamboo grass grows best in places with moderate humidity.
you might use them to contrast with other plants or keep them as a standout piece in your garden.
Image credits:manogardenstories
Best for erosion control
These warm-season grasses are native to North America.
Switchgrass produces reddish-purple seed heads, which change to pale yellow in the fall.
Some varieties have blue-gray foliage, which turns gold or red in autumn.
These narrow and tall grasses are ideal for tight garden spaces.
An interestingplant factswitchgrass can grow in droughts and high temperatures.
Switchgrass has also been hailed as the nextleading biofuel in the United Statesbecause it is more efficient than corn.
Image credits:southern_meadows
Best choice for self-seeding grass
Little bluestem is also known as beardgrass.
It is a rampant self-seeder that grows naturally and forms large colonies over time.
Growing little bluestem also provides an excellenthabitat for birdsand insects.
These beautiful plants grow wildly in large clumps, especially in fields and meadows.
They produce gray-green leaves that often turn purple, red, and orange in autumn.
Little bluestem maintains its color almost through the winter.
These delicate flower spikes stand out gracefully from their long burgundy leaves.
They are eye-catching and very popular ornamental grasses preferred for flower gardens.
They look striking next to light green or silvery flowers and plants.
Many people also use the feathery seed heads from this plant to make driedflower arrangements.
If you look after your purple fountain grass, it will grow well all year round.
When you notice it spreading out too much, remove dead flower heads.
you could keep cutting it until it is at a suitable height.
These plants require minimal effort to maintain.
Elephant grass produces leaves with fine hairs.
Its flowers are cylindrical at the top of the stem and have delicate flower spikes.
A cool thing about Elephant grass is that you’re free to actually eat its shoots and leaves.
They can be cooked to make soups and stews.
According to a 2022 study published in theScientific African Journal, elephant grass leaves also have diuretic properties.
They are easier to start with and dont take as much effort as larger ornamental grass varieties.
you’re able to find carex in many habitats, from wetlands to forests and even deserts.
These ornamental grasses need consistently moist soil but are surprisingly adaptable to other growing conditions.
The Little Midge variation is a miniature semi-evergreen grass that grows in clumps.
It produces bright green leaves that grow in an interesting geometric pattern.
This ornamental grass doesnt produce flowers.
It is best suited for indoor container gardens or to be placed at the front of a garden bed.
It grows in clumps and produces uniform balls of foliage with a blue hue and feathery straw-like stalks.
The flower spikes also have stunning and dramatic colors.
you’re able to cultivate this lower-growing evergreen grass in small crevices, containers, or tight spaces.
They can also be used ashanging plants indoors.
A tremendous benefit of this grass is that it holds up nicely to light foot traffic.
You wont need to mow it more than once a year.
Dwarf mondo grass has tiny flowers that arent too showy.
But it also produces blue berries that are hidden in the foliage.
you might grow them as indoor container plantings or place them in the corners of your garden beds.
You dont need to prune them or fuss about the grass too much.
Some people spread mulch over the ground to help keep the soil cool and retain moisture for their growth.
These plants produce bright pink seed heads from spring through fall that look like cotton candy.
The plant also maintains its pink clusters during winter.
Pink muhly grass is surprisingly easy to grow, and you will get many blooms year after year.
Its a wonderful addition to a low-maintenance garden.
While theres a huge variety of ornamental grasses, many of them share similar preferences for growing conditions.
Soil
Image credits:goo.kyo
Most ornamental grass species need well-drained soil.
Ordinary garden dirt will work just fine.
ensure to plant them in raised garden beds to ensure good drainage over time.
Fertilizing
Image credits:livingwestmodern
Ornamental grasses dont need much fertilizer.
you’ve got the option to apply mulch to the base of the plant to moisten the soil.
Dont overuse fertilizers because excess nitrogen can lead to diseases and weaken the plant.
Tall plants should be placed far apart to ensure they reach full height and maturity.
If you plan to grow them in containers, loosen the roots and place them in the soil.
After that, see to it that the soil is firm.
The root ball should not have any air pockets around it.
Use hedge shears, pruners, or electric shears for best results.
Ideally, they should be divided every 34 years when the plant is still manageable.
It can be challenging to dig up an overgrown ornamental grass.
Warm grasses should be divided in early spring, whereas cool grasses should be divided in early fall.
First, divide ornamental grass, take a shovel, and separate the root systems.
Then, hose off the roots and replant in clumps.
Replant immediately so that the roots dont dry out.
However, some you should be particularly careful with.
Despite their lovely blooms, ornamental grasses have the potential to outcompete native plant and animal species.
This kind of crowding can disrupt the natural ecosystem.
you could remove the orange spots by cutting the plants back as soon as they appear.
you’ve got the option to also use a mild fungicide to combat the problem.
If you are interested in growing other similar plants, you’re free to look at thisAsparagus fernguide.
It will also become very difficult to trim or divide the plants later.
Some slightly more invasive grass species will spread their seeds in unwanted places.
How to Remove Ornamental Grasses?
To remove ornamental grass from your garden, chop up the large stems with a small hatchet.
you’re able to remove the root ball after cutting them closer to the ground.
Ensure all roots have been removed, or the plant can grow again.
What Ornamental Grasses Are Toxic to Dogs?
Most ornamental grasses are dog-friendly, but there are a few exceptions that you should be aware of.
Arrowgrass (Triglochin palustris) is one such grass that is poisonous and shouldnt be ingested by a canine.
Can You Trim Ornamental Grasses in Summer?
It is better to trim or prune the ornamental grass when the weather turns colder.
Warm-season grasses turn brown during the winter, which is when you might trim them.
Cutting them too early can interfere with the flowering season and affect their ornamental value.
