Gardening Flowers Perennials 21 Ornamental Grasses to Add Unbeatable Texture to Your Garden Wispy ornamental grasses are versatile plants that can provide four seasons of interest in any landscape. By Andrea Beck Andrea Beck Andrea Beck served as garden editor at BHG and her work has appeared on Food & Wine, Martha Stewart, MyRecipes, and more. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on January 24, 2023 Reviewed by Sylvia Duax Reviewed by Sylvia Duax Sylvia Duax has over 15 years of experience as a professional Horticulturist with expertise in: sustainable garden maintenance techniques; Southeastern U.S., especially in the mid-Atlantic regional gardening; native plants; wildlife gardening; small space, urban and container gardening and community engagement. Learn about BHG's Gardening Review Board Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Richard Felber Wispy ornamental grasses are among the most versatile plants in a landscape. They run the gamut from towering over your head to just a few inches tall. Some types need lots of sun and others don't mind some shade. And lots of ornamental grasses offer four seasons of interest. These are some of the best varieties to try in your yard; you'll especially love how they look and sound when rustling gently in a breeze. 01 of 21 Feather Reed Grass Bryan E. McCay A very popular ornamental grass, feather reed grass offers a distinct upright habit that looks fantastic all winter long. Like many grasses, this tough plant tolerates a wide range of conditions. Name: Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster' Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: To 6 feet tall Zones: 5-9 02 of 21 Fountain Grass Marty Baldwin A beautiful, mounding plant, fountain grass has a graceful shape, plus soft, feathery plumes that dance in the breeze. Name: Pennisetum alopecuroides Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: To 5 feet tall Zones: 5-9 03 of 21 Little Bluestem John Reed Forsman A lovely, tough-as-nails prairie native, little bluestem offers gray-green leaf blades that turn bold shades of purple, red, and orange in autumn. Name: Schizachyrium scoparium Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: To 3 feet tall Zones: 4-9 04 of 21 Switch Grass Peter Krumhardt A North American prairie native, switch grass offers airy plumes in late summer and fall. It looks great during the season, too: Many varieties (such as 'Dallas Blues') offer blue-gray foliage during the season and turn brilliant shades of gold or red in autumn. Name: Panicum virgatum Growing Conditions: Full sun or part shade and well-drained soil Size: To 5 feet tall Zones: 4-9 05 of 21 Blue Oat Grass Charles Mann It's tough to beat blue oat grass for a low-care plant with steel-blue color. It also has a tidy mounded habit and won't spread and take over your garden. Name: Helictotrichon sempervirens Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: To 4 feet tall Zones: 4-9 06 of 21 Purple Millet Peter Krumhardt This incredibly tough annual grass offers fantastic burgundy foliage and rich purple foliage that look like fuzzy cattails. The plants look striking in a landscape and attract birds. Name: Pennisetum glaucum Growing Conditions: Full sun or part shade and well-drained soil Size: To 5 feet tall Zones: Annual 07 of 21 Cord Grass Stephen Cridland An underutilized perennial, cord grass is a spreading prairie grass that thrives in moist or wet soils. It's a good choice for growing along the side of a pond or stream. Name: Spartina pectinata Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist soil Size: To 7 feet tall Zones: 4-7 08 of 21 Japanese Forest Grass Peter Krumhardt A low-growing species, Japanese forest grass has a nearly-perfect mounding habit. Variegated selections (such as 'Aureola' or 'All Gold') have brightly colored foliage that light up shady corners. Name: Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' Growing Conditions: Part shade and well-drained soil Size: To 1 foot tall Zones: 5-9 09 of 21 Maiden Grass John Reed Forsman One of the most common grasses, maiden grass is big, beautiful, and easy to grow. It offers narrow, arching foliage (many selections are variegated; look for them to add more color to your landscape) and silvery plumes that are enchanting when the light catches them just right. Name: Miscanthus sinensis Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist, well-drained soil Size: To 8 feet tall Zones: 4-9 10 of 21 Fiber Optic Grass Richard Felber An unusual tender perennial often grown as an annual, fiber optic grass has a fine texture and low, mounding habit perfect for container gardens. Since it stays compact, it's also a good choice for gardening in small spaces. Name: Isolepis cernua Growing Conditions: Full sun or part shade and moist soil Size: To 6 inches tall Zones: 10-11 (usually grown as an annual in colder Zones) 11 of 21 Ravenna Grass Richard Felber A massive, fast-growing perennial, ravenna grass sends up towering, silvery plumes that can top 10 feet. It makes a strong statement in the autumn landscape. Name: Saccharum ravennae Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: To 12 feet tall Zones: 6-9 12 of 21 Purple Fountain Grass Andreas Trauttmansdorff A favorite of gardeners everywhere because of its burgundy-red foliage all season long, this tender perennial is often used in container gardens. Name: Pennisetum setaceum 'Purpureum' Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: To 3 feet tall Zones: 9-10 (grown as an annual in cooler climates) 13 of 21 Northern Sea Oats John Reed Forsman This ornamental grass is loved for its interesting seed heads, which hang off the stems and look like wind chimes. Test Garden Tip: Northern sea oats is a fast spreader, so plant in a container or other spot that will keep it in bounds. Name: Chasmanthium latifolium Growing Conditions: Full sun or part shade and well-drained soil Size: To 3 feet tall Zones: 5-9 14 of 21 Zebra Grass Matthew Benson It's easy to see how zebra grass got its name: Each leaf blade features a series of bright yellow bands. The plant really stands out in the landscape! Zebra grass also has a nice upright habit that looks great in the perennial border. Name: Miscanthus sinensis 'Strictus' Growing Conditions: Full sun and moist, well-drained soil Size: To 5 feet tall Zones: 4-9 15 of 21 Purple Moor Grass Mike Jensen The delightful mounding foliage of thispurple moor grass turns brilliant gold in autumn. It's a good choice for partially shaded gardens. Name: Molinia caerulea Growing Conditions: Full sun or part shade and moist soil Size: To 5 feet tall Zones: 5-9 16 of 21 Hair Grass Stephen Cridland Depending on the climate, hair grass is an evergreen grass with airy plumes in shades of golden, silver, purple, and green. The plant has an attractive mounding habit as well. Name: Deschampsia cespitosa Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and moist, well-drained soil Size: To 6 feet tall Zones: 5-9 17 of 21 Blue Fescue Martin Tessler A short grass perfect for edging or as a groundcover, blue fescue offers powder-blue foliage on tidy, dwarf mounds. Name: Festuca glauca Growing Conditions: Full sun or part shade and well-drained soil Size: To 1 foot tall Zones: 4-8 18 of 21 Dwarf Pampas Grass Stephen Cridland Growing just 4-5 feet tall, dwarf pampas grass develops showy white flower plumes in the late summer and fall. Use it in the back of the border where you can enjoy the flower heads all winter long. Like standard pampas grass, the dwarf variety can become invasive, so plant it where its roots can't spread. It is deer- and drought-resistant and tolerates almost any soil type. Name: Cortaderia selloana 'Pumila' Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: 5 feet tall Zones: 6-10 19 of 21 Liriope Matthew Benson Also called monkey grass or lilyturf, liriope isn't actually a true grass but a member of the lily family. However, its pretty mounding, grasslike foliage has a similar effect in a garden. An excellent groundcover, liriope thrives in sun or shade and helps control erosion on steep slopes. As a bonus, the plant sends up spikes of lavender, purple, or white flowers in late summer followed by bluish black, berrylike fruits. Name: Liriope spicata Growing Conditions: Full sun to shade and well-drained soil Size: To 9-15 inches tall Zones: 5-9 20 of 21 Big Bluestem Ian Adams Native to the American prairie, big bluestem is a tall, handsome grass that adapts easily to any landscape. In the spring, the foliage of big bluestem starts out blue-green, gradually turning green with hints of red and finally changing to reddish-bronze in the fall. The plants grow well in moist or dry soils. This grass can be slow to take hold but will eventually form large, upright clumps. Name: Andropogon gerardii Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: 4-8 feet tall Zones: 4-9 21 of 21 Mexican Feather Grass Jay Wilde Even the slightest breeze will cause the delicate flower stalks and thin leaves of Mexican feather grass to dance delightfully on the wind. This graceful grass thrives in poor soil and tolerates dry conditions. It looks terrific planted in containers or scattered on a meadow or slope. Mexican feather grass is a good choice for erosion control. Name: Nassella tenuissima Growing Conditions: Full sun and well-drained soil Size: To 3 feet tall Zones: 6-10 Many ornamental grasses commonly used for landscaping have a tendency to escape gardens and outcompete native species in natural areas. It's a good idea to check if a type of ornamental grass is considered invasive in your area before planting it. Even native grasses can spread aggressively in the right conditions so it's worth doing a little homework on any grass you want to plant. Frequently Asked Questions When is the best time to plant ornamental grasses? Ornamental grasses should be planted in the spring or early fall. Planting in the spring will give your grasses ample time to establish a strong root system before winter weather kicks in. In warmer regions—where winters are less severe—you can wait until August or September to plant, just be sure to plant at least six to eight weeks before the first frost arrives for the best results. You may also want to provide your grasses with a light layer of straw or mulch to insulate them from oncoming chills. Are ornamental grasses annuals or perennials? Most ornamental grasses are perennial plants, but there are a few annual grasses (like purple millet or hare’s tail) that will live only one growing season—making them perfect for containers. Unlike fussier perennial plants (such as roses or hydrangeas), perennial ornamental grasses do not require a lot of extra care once they are established. In fact, with some simple maintenance, they can look beautiful year-round and last for two or more years. Do ornamental grasses need to be cut back every year? While many perennials prefer to be cut back in the fall to avoid frost damage, with most ornamental grasses, it is best to wait until late winter or early spring to crop them back. The benefit of waiting until spring is twofold: You can enjoy the visual interest the grasses add to your winter garden while also providing food and a welcome respite for birds. Come spring, before the new shoots begin to show, use a sturdy pair of sheers or a hedge trimmer to cut off the dead foliage approximately 3 to 5 inches from the ground. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit