Ornamental grasses make a beautiful and low-maintenance addition to any home garden. They're easy to grow, long-lasting, and resistant to most pests and diseases. Best of all, they offer visual interest throughout multiple seasons from spring through winter.
Many ornamental grass species thrive in Iowa and across the Midwest, with several native varieties perfectly suited to landscapes. They provide texture, movement, or seasonal color for any garden.
Below, you'll find curated lists of ornamental grasses, including sedges and other grass-like plants, organized by growing conditions and key characteristics. Use these guides to discover the ideal ornamental grasses for your landscape.
Native to Iowa | Short | Tall | Good Fall Color | Strongly Clump-Forming | Potentially Weedy | Tolerates Partial Shade | Good For Wet Locations | Warm Season Grasses | Cool Season Grasses | Grass-Like Species | More Information
Native to Iowa
Many of the best ornamental grasses for the landscape are native to Iowa and the rest of the prairie landscape across the Midwest. Some native ornamental grasses to look for include:
- big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi)
- side-oats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula)
- blue joint grass (Calamagrostis canadensis)
- plains oval sedge (Carex brevior)
- bottlebrush sedge (Carex comosa)
- common bur sedge (Carex grayi)
- lake sedge (Carex lacustris)
- palm sedge (Carex muskingumensis)
- long-stalked sedge (Carex pedunculata)
- Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica)
- porcupine sedge (Carex hystericina)
- eastern star sedge (Carex radiata)
- rosy sedge (Carex rosea)
- long-beaked sedge (Carex sprengelii)
- tussock sedge (Carex stricta)
- northern sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)
- tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa)
- scouring rush (Equisetum hyemale)
- purple love grass (Eragrostis spectabilis)
- reed manna gras (Glyceria grandis)
- June grass (Koeleria macrantha)
- switchgrass (Panicum virgatum )
- little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
- Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans)
- prairie cord grass (Spartina pectinata)
- prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)
Short
Several species of ornamental grasses are short, allowing them to easily share garden space with other herbaceous perennials. The total height of these species, with flowers, is less than 3 feet.
- side-oats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula)
- blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis)
- plains oval sedge (Carex brevior)
- bottlebrush sedge (Carex comosa)
- Bowles golden sedge (Carex elata 'Aurea')
- carnation sedge (Carex flacca)
- porcupine sedge (Carex hystericina)
- long-stalked sedge (Carex pedunculata)
- Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica)
- eastern star sedge (Carex radiata)
- rosy sedge (Carex rosea)
- long-beaked sedge (Carex sprengelii)
- northern sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)
- tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa)
- purple love grass (Eragrostis spectabilis)
- blue fescue (Festuca glauca)
- Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola')
- blue oatgrass (Helictotrichon sempervirens)
- Japanese blood grass (Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra')
- June grass (Koeleria macrantha)
- blue lyme grass (Leymus arenarius; syn. Elymus arenarius)
- pink muhlygrass (Muhlenbergia capillaris)
- perennial fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides)
- ribbon grass (Phalaris arundinacea var. picta)
- little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
- autumn moor grass (Sesleria autumnalis)
- prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)
Tall
When we think of ornamental grasses, we often think of tall plants. Many species are native to the tall-grass prairies of the Midwest. These taller grasses are ideal for the back of the border, adding height and providing a nice backdrop for other perennials. These larger plants also pair well with many shrubs, and their fine texture complements the coarser texture of many common shrubs like panicle hydrangea, shrub roses, ninebark, and viburnums. The total height of these species, with flowers, is more than 5 feet.
- big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi)
- giant reed grass (Arundo donax)
- giant miscanthus (Miscanthus ‘Giganteus’)
- Japanese silvergrass (Miscanthus sinensis)
- purple moor grass (Molinia caerulea)
- switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
- hardy pampas (Saccharum ravennae syn. Erianthus ravennae)
- Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans)
- prairie cord grass (Spartina pectinata)
Good Fall Color
Several species of ornamental grasses, such as little bluestem and switchgrass, are noted for their excellent and reliable fall color. Several cultivars have been selected that have exceptional fall color. Those species and cultivars include:
- big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) The species itself exhibits good fall color, featuring gold, oranges, and purples. Cultivars with notable fall color include:
- ‘Red October’ (burgundy red)
- 'Balckhawks' (burgundy, almost black)
- 'Rain Dance' (bright red)
- Japanese silver grass (Miscanthus spp.) Cultivars with notable fall color include:
- ‘Purpurascens’ (orange-red)
- ‘November Sunset’ (golden yellow-orange)
- switchgrass (Panicum spp.) Switchgrass cultivars with colorful fall foliage include:
- ‘Rehbraun’ (reddish brown)
- ‘Rotstrahlbusch’ (burgundy red)
- 'Prairie Fire’ (wine red)
- 'Cheyenne Sky' (dark red)
- 'Shanadoah' (wine red)
- 'Hot Rod' (purple-red)
- purple moor grass (Molinia caerulea ssp. arundinacea) Cultivars with great, often yellow, fall color include:
- ‘Cordoba’ (golden yellow)
- 'Moorflame' (oragne, red, purple)
- 'Skyracer' (golden yellow)
- little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) Even the straight species has nice yellow to burnt orange fall color. Cultivars with exceptional color include:
- ‘Blaze’ (orange to reddish purple)
- ‘Blue Heaven’ (burgundy red)
- 'Standing Ovation' (orange-red)
- 'Smoke Signal' (scarlet-purple)
- 'Jass" (deep red)
- Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) Notable cultivars include:
- ‘Tara’ (orange-red )
Learn about other perennials with fall color in this article: Perennials with Fall Color.
Strongly Clump Forming
Most ornamental grasses grow in bunches or clumps, which limits their spread in the garden. The species listed below are strongly clump-forming and have clumps have slowly increase in diameter each year. Note, that some of these species do spread by seed.
- feather reed grass (Calamagrostis × acutiflora)
- Korean feather reed grass (Calamagrostis bractytricha)
- Bowles golden sedge (Carex elata 'Aurea')
- long-stalked sedge (Carex pedunculata)
- eastern star sedge (Carex radiata)
- long-beaked sedge (Carex sprengelii)
- tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa)
- blue fescue (Festuca glauca)
- Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola')
- blue oatgrass (Helictotrichon sempervirens)
- Japanese silvergrass (Miscanthus sinensis)
- purple moor grass (Molinia caerulea)
- switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
- perennial fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides)
- little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
- autumn moor grass (Sesleria autumnalis)
- prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)
Potentially Weedy
Most ornamental grasses are "well-behaved" in the garden. Some do produce abundant seeds that can germinate in other areas of the landscape. Other species spread very readily by underground rhizomes or stolons. Aggressive spreaders need to be contained using barriers like buildings, walls, and sidewalks.
Self-Seeding
- big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)
- common bur sedge (Carex grayi)
- porcupine sedge (Carex hystericina)
- palm sedge (Carex muskingumensis)
- long-beaked sedge (Carex sprengelii)
- northern sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)
- blue fescue (Festuca glauca)
- Japanese silvergrass (Miscanthus sinensis) - only when two or more different cultivars are planted near each other, cross-pollinate, and set seed
- switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
- perennial fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides)
- hardy pampas (Saccharum ravennae syn. Erianthus ravennae)
- little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
Aggressive Spreaders
- lake sedge (Carex lacustris)
- Japanese blood grass (Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra')
- blue lyme grass (Leymus arenarius)
- Amur silver grass (Miscanthus sacchariflorus)
- ribbon grass (Phalaris arundinacea var. picta)
Tolerates Partial Shade
Most ornamental grasses need full sun to grow best. When grown in too much shade, ornamental grasses tend to become floppy. There are a few species that do well in part shade, including:
- northern sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)
- tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa)
- eastern bottle brush (Elymus hystrix var. hystrix)
- scouring rush (Equisetum hyemale)
- Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola')
- golden wood millet (Milium effusum 'Aureum')
The best grasses for shade are not grasses at all but closely related sedges. In general, sedges tolerate shade better than most ornamental grasses and often thrive in wet conditions. However, there are hundreds of species of sedges that grow well in various soil and light conditions. Sedges to try in shady locations include:
- plains oval sedge (Carex brevior)
- Bowles golden sedge (Carex elata 'Aurea')
- carnation sedge (Carex flacca)
- common bur sedge (Carex grayi)
- porcupine sedge (Carex hystericina)
- lake sedge (Carex lacustris)
- palm sedge (Carex muskingumensis)
- long-stalked sedge (Carex pedunculata)
- Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica)
- eastern star sedge (Carex radiata)
- rosy sedge (Carex rosea)
- long-beaked sedge (Carex sprengelii)
- woodrush (Luzula sylvatica) - neither a true grass nor a sedge, but sill grass-like.
Good for Wet Locations
Several grasses and sedges are well-suited for areas that are wet or periodically wet, like ditches, pond and stream banks, and rain gardens. In wet locations, consider these species:
- blue joint grass (Calamagrostis canadensis)
- bottlebrush sedge (Carex comosa)
- Bowles golden sedge (Carex elata 'Aurea')
- carnation sedge (Carex flacca)
- common bur sedge (Carex grayi)
- porcupine sedge (Carex hystericina)
- lake sedge (Carex lacustris)
- palm sedge (Carex muskingumensis)
- tussock sedge (Carex stricta)
- northern sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)
- scouring rush (Equisetum hyemale)
- reed manna gras (Glyceria grandis)
- switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
- prairie cord grass (Spartina pectinata)
Warm Season Grasses
Warm season grasses prefer the warm summer temperatures and grow quickly during the summer months. They are slow to emerge in the spring, typically appearing later in May or even early June. They also go dormant earlier, turning brown after the first frost.
- big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi)
- giant reed grass (Arundo donax)
- side-oats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula)
- Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra)
- Japanese blood grass (Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra')
- giant miscanthus (Miscanthus ‘Giganteus’)
- Japanese silvergrass (Miscanthus sinensis)
- pink muhlygrass (Muhlenbergia capillaris)
- switchgrass (Panicum virgatum )
- perennial fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides)
- hardy pampas (Saccharum ravennae syn. Erianthus ravennae)
- little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
- Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans)
- prairie cord grass (Spartina pectinata)
- prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)
Cool Season Grasses
Cool season grasses prefer the cooler temperatures of spring and fall. They emerge early in spring, often producing green growth in early April. These grasses slow their growth during the summer months and may even go dormant while temperatures are warm. In the cool fall season, they green back up and return to normal growth. Most will tolerate light frost and stay green well into October and November.
- blue joint grass (Calamagrostis canadensis)
- feather reed grass (Calamagrostis × acutiflora)
- Korean feather reed grass (Calamagrostis bractytricha)
- northern sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)
- tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa)
- purple love grass (Eragrostis spectabilis)
- blue fescue (Festuca glauca)
- reed manna gras (Glyceria grandis)
- blue oatgrass (Helictotrichon sempervirens)
- June grass (Koeleria macrantha)
- blue lyme grass (Leymus arenarius; syn. Elymus arenarius)
- purple moor grass (Molinia caerulea)
- ribbon grass (Phalaris arundinacea var. picta)
- autumn moor grass (Sesleria autumnalis)
Grass-like Species
Grasses belong to the Poaceae family. They are characterized by long, linear leaves with parallel veins and pointed tips. They have cylindrical stems that are hollow except at the point where the leaf attaches by wrapping a sheath around the stem (the node). Their flowers are plume-like spikes that typically rise above the foliage and are pollinated by the wind.
There are several other groups of plants that are very grass-like with long, narrow leaves and a similar growth habit, but are not in the Poaceae family. These include sedges and rushes. Sedges are in the Cyperaceae family and have solid, triangular stems with no nodes and leaves that are folded. Rushes are in the Juncaceae family and have solid, round stems and no nodes.
The differences between these three plant types can be remembered using this rhyme: "Sedges have edges, rushes are round, grasses have nodes from the top to the ground."
Grass-like species that can be used in the landscape include:
- plains oval sedge (Carex brevior)
- bottlebrush sedge (Carex comosa)
- Bowles golden sedge (Carex elata 'Aurea')
- carnation sedge (Carex flacca)
- common bur sedge (Carex grayi)
- porcupine sedge (Carex hystericina)
- lake sedge (Carex lacustris)
- palm sedge (Carex muskingumensis)
- long-stalked sedge (Carex pedunculata)
- Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica)
- eastern star sedge (Carex radiata)
- rosy sedge (Carex rosea)
- long-beaked sedge (Carex sprengelii)
- tussock sedge (Carex stricta)
- scouring rush (Equisetum hyemale)
- woodrush (Luzula sylvatica)