Ornamental grasses add movement to landscape

Rosanne Loparco, Master Gardener Volunteer
·2 min read
Miscanthus “Adagio” is a medium-sized ornamental grass sized for foundation beds.
Miscanthus “Adagio” is a medium-sized ornamental grass sized for foundation beds.

Ornamental grasses are rewarding landscape plants.   They sway in the breeze, adding movement along with sound as they rustle in the breeze.  Grasses do have flowers; though not traditional flowers, they can be showy and colorful along with interesting seed heads.

Types of grasses

Grasses can be clumping or spreading, and varieties can be annuals or perennials.   Some spreading grasses are invasive.   Avoid Chinese silver grass or 'Miscanthus sinensis' cultivars.   These can spread via underground runners and quickly take over a space.

The NYS DEC website provides a brochure on invasive plants, including grasses, and suggestions on what to plant in their place; visit https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/plantwise.pdf    Cool season varieties peak in spring; warm season varieties will take time to reappear in the spring, grow during the summer, and peak now.  Grasses can range in height from 6 inches up to 15 feet!   These plants grow fast, some approaching full size in one season.  Do your homework before selecting one.

Lemon Squeeze Ornamental Grass (background) is deer resistant and gets 3 to 3 1/2 feet tall.
Lemon Squeeze Ornamental Grass (background) is deer resistant and gets 3 to 3 1/2 feet tall.

Growing needs

Most varieties will need well-drained soil and full sun.  Keep the plants well watered for the first few weeks, but after that, these plants are drought tolerant.  Since most varieties look great in winter, don't cut them back until early spring.  Some varieties may need to be cut with hedge shears or a weed eater with a brush-cutting blade.  Don't worry about hurting them -- they are a fearless plant! 

When choosing an ornamental grass, look at native varieties first.  Native grasses play their part with pollinators.  The Perennial Plant of the Year for 2022 is a native bluestem grass Schizachyrium scoparium or little bluestem.  This grass is hardy to Zone 3.  It has short clumps of green to blue-green leaves, topped by flowering stems; it also provides great fall color.  Little bluestem is a larval host for a variety of butterflies and moths.  For more ornamental grasses native to New York state, visit the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation website to download a copy of "Native Plants for Gardening and Landscaping," which includes several ornamental grass varieties; visit https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/lands_forests_pdf/factnatives.pdf.

Ornamental grasses stay attractive and robust all through summer, keeping fresh growth going when many flowers and shrubs are sulking in the heat. SHNS photo courtesy Joe Lamp’l
Ornamental grasses stay attractive and robust all through summer, keeping fresh growth going when many flowers and shrubs are sulking in the heat. SHNS photo courtesy Joe Lamp’l

Home and garden questions can be emailed to Cornell Cooperative Extension Oneida County at homeandgarden@cornell.edu or call 315-736-3394, press 1 and then Ext 333.   Leave your question, name and phone number.   Questions answered weekdays, 8am to 4 pm.   Also, visit our website at https://cceoneida.com/.

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Ornamental grasses rewarding in landscape