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Ornamental grasses are grasses grown as ornamental plants. Ornamental grasses are popular in many colder hardiness zones for their resilience to cold temperatures and aesthetic value throughout fall and winter seasons. [1]
Along with true grasses (Poaceae), several other families of grass-like plants are typically marketed as ornamental grasses. These include the sedges (Cyperaceae), rushes (Juncaceae), restios (Restionaceae), and cat-tails (Typhaceae). All are monocotyledons, typically with narrow leaves and parallel veins. Most are herbaceous perennials, though many are evergreen and some develop woody tissues. They bring striking linear form, texture, color, motion, and sound to the garden, throughout the year.
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Almost all ornamental grasses are perennials, coming up in spring from their roots, which have stored large quantities of energy, and in fall or winter go dormant. Some, notably bamboos, are evergreen, and a few are annuals. Many are bunch grasses and tussock grasses, though others form extensive systems of many-branched rhizomes. The bunching types are often called "clump-forming" or "clumping", distinct from the rhizomatous types, called "running". Sizes vary from a few centimeters up to several meters; the larger bamboos may reach 20 m or more tall. Some ornamental grasses are species that can be grown from seed. Many others are cultivars, and must be propagated by vegetative propagation of an existing plant.
Pampas grass ( Cortaderia selloana ) is easily recognizable, with semi-dwarf to very large selections for the landscape. Deer grass ( Muhlenbergia rigens ) and canyon prince wild blue rye ( Leymus condensatus ) are popular in larger settings, natural landscaping, and native plant gardens. There are Miscanthus grasses whose variegations are horizontal, and appear even on a cloudy day to be stippled with sunshine. Many Miscanthus and Pennisetum species flower in mid or late summer, and the seed heads are long lasting, often remaining well into the winter. Some Stipa species flower in the spring, the inflorescence standing almost two metres above the clumps of leaves, and again the seed heads last late into the winter.
When gardening near natural wildland-urban interfaces, one should take care to avoid planting invasive species, such as Cortaderia jubata (native to Argentina and the Andes) [2] , Pennisetum setaceum (native to northeastern Africa and western Asia) [3] , and Nassella tenuissima (syn. Stipa tenuissima; native to New Mexico, Texas, and South America). [4] Not only do invasive species compete with native plants, but they may also increase the risk of wildfires, especially in areas such as California. [5]
Some ornamental grasses have become serious invasive weeds, usually as garden escapes into natural vegetation areas. [7]
Arundo is a genus of stout, perennial plants in the grass family.
Cortaderia is a genus of plants in the Poaceae or grass family of plants.
Stipa is a genus of around 300 large perennial hermaphroditic grasses collectively known as feather grass, needle grass, and spear grass. They are placed in the subfamily Pooideae and the tribe Stipeae, which also contains many species formerly assigned to Stipa, which have since been reclassified into new genera.
Pampas grass or pampas-grass or Pap's grass is a common name which may refer to any of several similar-looking, tall-growing species of grass:
Deschampsia cespitosa, commonly known as tufted hairgrass or tussock grass, is a perennial tufted plant in the grass family Poaceae. The distribution of this species is widespread, with it being native to North America, Central Africa, eastern Australia and Eurasia and being introduced to South Africa, South Australia and South America.
Miscanthus sinensis, the eulalia or Chinese silver grass, is a species of flowering plant in the grass family Poaceae, native to eastern Asia throughout most of China, Japan, Taiwan and Korea.
Festuca rubra is a species of grass known by the common name red fescue, creeping red fescue or the rush-leaf fescue. It is widespread across much of the Northern Hemisphere and can tolerate many habitats and climates. It is best adapted to well-drained soils in cool, temperate climates; it prefers shadier areas and is often planted for its shade tolerance. Wild animals browse it, but it has not been important for domestic forage due to low productivity and palatability. It is also an ornamental plant for gardens.
Festuca californica is a species of grass known by the common name California fescue.
Tussock grasses or bunch grasses are a group of grass species in the family Poaceae. They usually grow as singular plants in clumps, tufts, hummocks, or bunches, rather than forming a sod or lawn, in meadows, grasslands, and prairies. As perennial plants, most species live more than one season. Tussock grasses are often found as forage in pastures and ornamental grasses in gardens.
Leymus condensatus, the giant wildrye, is a wild rye grass native to eastern Oregon, California and northern Mexico.
Achnatherum calamagrostis is a species of flowering plant in the grass family Poaceae, known by the common names spear grass, needle grass, and silver spike grass. It is an ornamental grass native to the clearings in the mountains of central and southern Europe, which grows in mounds of blue-green leaves and long, silvery plumes.
The Central Andean wet puna is a montane grasslands and shrublands ecoregion in the Andes of Peru and Bolivia.
Elachista adscitella is a moth of the family Elachistidae found in Europe.
Nassella tenuissima is a species of grass known by the common names Mexican feathergrass, finestem needlegrass, fineleaved nassella, and Argentine needle-grass. It is native to the south-western United States, northern Mexico and Argentina. It is well-matched to climate in Australia and can be harmful to the Australian environment.
Nonnative grasses that are invasive in Brazil include Arundo donax, Rottboellia cochinchinensis, Cortaderia selloana, Nassella neesiana, Spartina densiflora, and Spartina alterniflora. These species have been identified and are being managed by the Ministry of Environment and Forest.
