Most grasses are late emerging in the spring. Consequently, you'll find our selection somewhat sparse in the early spring, but gradually filling out as the season continues.

ANDROPOGON gerardii Big Bluestem4-6ft. stems, upright and clump-forming with silvery, blue-green foliage that becomes rich coppery-bronze in the fall. Purplish flower spikes in Aug.-Sept.. A native grass occurring throughout the country in a range of soils. Zone 4.

BRIZA media Quaking Grass New In May, miniature oat-like structures are carried above the low, tufted leaves on 2 1/2ft. stems, persisting through summer and, after ripening, rustling delightfully on every summer breeze, excellent for cutting. Tolerant of soils from heavy and poorly drained to quite dry. Full sun or very light shade.  Looks especially good planted in drifts. Zone 4.

CAREX (Sedge) ciliato-marginata 'Treasure Island' New 6-8in. high, slow growing clumps of white striped and white edged, green blades. Compact clumps spread to 15ins and make excellent ground covers in lightly shaded areas. Zone 5. 

CAREX (Sedge) conica 'Snowline'Narrow, deep blue-green leaves with white edges. Slow growing, eventually becoming 12-15ins. high by 24ins. wide. Full sun to part shade with even moisture. Zone 5.

CAREX (Sedge) divulsa 'Gold Fountain' New A new sedge producing graceful clumps of narrow green leaves edged in gold. 15ins. high.

elata 'Bowles Golden' Bright gold leaves with narrow green margins, 2-3' tall, moisture loving—great for the edges of ponds and streams. Spectacular combined with a blue or green and gold Hosta. Gold color is most intense in full sun, in which case moist soil is a must.

morrowii 'Ice Ballet'New A sport of C. 'Ice Dance' with a broader, more distinctive variegation, but retains the graceful arching habit. 1-2ft. tall.

morrowii 'Ice Dance' Tufts of semi-evergreen grass-like foliage edged pure white. Nicely spreading groundcover. Looks gorgeous in our border even in February! Quite adaptable to a range of soil types.

siderosticha 'Variegata' Green leaves striped with white especially toward the edges. 8ins. tall. Considered one of the most attractive hardy sedges. Clumps expand slowly by rhizomes and make attractive, though modest, ground covers as well as very attractive individual specimens. Part to full shade with moisture.

CHASMANTHIUM latifolium Wild-oats Dark green foliage, 3'-4' high, with an upright form, and showy drooping oat-like spikelets that are excellent in both fresh and dried arrangements. Blooms mid summer. Often referred to by the common name Sea-oat, but this is a misnomer as plants are an inland species, preferring rich, moist soil in full sun where they maintain a solid upright form. In part shade, they get by on much less water but form is sacrificed and stems may be more lax.  Zone 3.

FESTUCA (Fescue)   Fescues are outstanding grasses for the border, with their fine texture, neat form, and ornamental foliage colors. They prefer full sun and well drained soil, and particularly resent winter sogginess. Best renewed by division every few years, in the spring.

glauca 'Elijah Blue' 8" sharp blue foliage. One of the best blue fescues. Zone 3.

HAKONECHLOA macra 'Aureola'    Variegated leaves are yellow with narrow green margins. Reddish pink in fall. Plants have a beautiful, cascading habit with all the leaves arching in the same direction creating a golden waterfall. (picture taken at Tower Hill Botanic Garden.

HAKONECHLOA macra 'All Gold'  Glimmering solid gold foliage without a speck of green. Unlike the fountainesque H. 'Aureola', 'All Gold' holds its blades in a somewhat upright, spiked fashion, resembling Tradescantia 'Sweet Kate' . 10-12ins. tall and wide. Plant out of afternoon sun in rich, moist but well drained soil. Zone 5.

IMPERATA koenigii 'Red Baron'1-2ft. blades that are green at the base and striking, blood red from the middle to the top. The foliage becomes redder as the season progresses. Grows best in rich, moist soil, but becomes quite drought tolerant once established.

MISCANTHUS sinensis 'Adagio' 5ft. tall inflorescences held well clear of the foliage begin blooming in August and continue for many weeks, opening with a hint of red and then turning silvery-white. Zone 5.

sinensis 'Dixieland' Can be thought of as a dwarf form of M. s. 'Variegatus' with similar green and white variegated foliage, but a shorter more compact habit, 4-5ft. tall. Silvery-pink plumes in late summer. Zone 5.

sinensis 'Gold Bar' The gold banded leaves of this porcupine grass have an intense color that almost glows in the sun! After five years plants can grow 3-5ft. tall, shorter than M 'Strictus', and with tighter banding on the blades. Zone 5.

sinensis 'Gracillimus' (Maiden Grass) To 7' tall in bloom, with late-blooming, reddish flowers, finely-textured green leaves, and a graceful, rounded form. Golden-yellow fall foliage color. Zone 5.

 

sinensis 'Graziella' (Silver Grass) 5-7', huge silver-white flowers in Aug., very sturdy. A bit more upright than 'Gracillimus'. Rich copper-red and orange fall foliage. Zone 5.

sinensis 'Huron Sunrise' Medium-width foliage displays a silver midrib line. Very full burgundy flowers bloom early, mid-August, in great profusion, and persist into winter. Grows 5-6' tall. A very hardy selection, to zone 4. An outstanding cultivar.

sinensis 'Malepartus'    Robust grower with large flowers that open pink-purple, then turn silver. Blooms August-Sepember.

sinensis 'Morning Light' (Variegated Maiden Grass) 5-6' reddish plumes bloom late, graceful narrow green leaves are neatly outlined in white, giving a silvery appearance overall. Has a very refined and elegant look. Zone 5.

sinensis 'Nippon' Compact growing dark green leaves with prominent silver midribs, forming clumps 4 -5ft. tall by 2-4ft. wide. Eye-catching, burgundy plumes emerge in mid summer and lighten to cream with age. Foliage turns a nice bronze-red in fall. Zone 5.

sinensis 'Strictus' Yellow bands across 6' green blades, 9' plumes.

sinensis 'Variegatus'   Wide, green and white striped leaves with a silvery glow when seen from a distance. Cascadint habit . Red-tinted plumes become fluffy as they age.

sinensis var. purpurascens 4-5ft. foliage turning red as summer progresses, with 6ft. plumes in fall. Zone 4,.

PANICUM (Switch Grass) vir gatum 'Dallas Blue'  6' powder blue foliage with large, 2', football-shaped seed heads. Seeds start purple-blue and mature to a rich orange-tan which persists through winter.

PANICUM (Switch Grass) 'Heavy Metal' One of the best upright growing grasses with wonderful blue foliage that becomes yellow in fall. 3-4' tall. Lends great structure to the garden and looks sensational when massed. Full sun, average soil.

PANICUM (Switch Grass) 'Northwind' Very strong, upright-growing clump with wider powder-blue foliage than 'Heavy Metal'. Showy, delicate flower panicles bloom in Aug.-Sept. THE strongest-stemmed Panicum, 6' tall and 5' wide.

PANICUM (Switch Grass) 'Shenandoah' Better red color than other cultivars, the foliage begins green in early summer, becoming reddish by July and turning completely burgundy by September. 3-4' tall.

PANICUM x 'Ruby Ribbons'A brand new selection displaying the reddest foliage of any Switch Grass. Summer color is metalic blue with red overtones but, as fall approaches, leaves become intensely red'plurple throughout! Grows to 4-5ft. tall by 2-3ft. wide.

PENNISETUM alopecuroides 'Hameln' (Dwarf Fountain Grass) 20" foliage and 3' arching sprays of near-white bottlebrush-like tassles in mid-summer into fall. Foliage turns golden yellow. Zone 5.

alopecuroides 'Little Bunny' Heavy blooming with a proud show of diminutive foxtails only 11ins. hich over low, compact tufts of foliage. Very cute for edging, for planting between stones at the sides of walks and patios and for rock plantings. Zone 5.

alopecuroides 'Little Richie'    Similar to P. 'Little Bunny' except it has chartreuse-yellow inflorescences with yellow flower stems.

alopecuroides 'Red Head'A fountain grass with red, feather-like plumes in early Sept., a month earlier than other fountain grasses. The large plumes are generously produced over a long period on plants that grow to a very accommodating overall hight of only 3-4ft. An outstanding new grass that's bound to become a favorite with gardeners. Zone 5.

glaucum 'Jester' New , see under temperennials

glaucum 'Purple Baron' New, see under temperennials

orientale (Oriental Fountain Grass) 'Karley Rose' Deep green blades carry beautiful, smoky, rose-purple, foxtail-like plumes form early summer till late fall, blooms better than an annual!  36ins. tall, zone 5.

 

setaceum 'Rubrum' see under temperennials

SCHIZACHYRIUM scoparium 'Prairie Blues' (Little Bluestem)    Clump-forming native prairie grass with finely textured leaves that range in color from bright green to blue, with an orange to red winter color. Delicate inflorescences turn silvery when they dry, and are lovely when back-lit by autumn or winter sun. Attractive even after snow. Right at home in managed meadows with prairie wildflowers. Requires good drainage, and prefers soil that is on the lean and mean (that is to say dry) side. Zone 3. 

SORGHASTRUM nutans 'Indian Steel' Upright clumps of slender, (1/2in. wide). bluish green leaf blades, turning yellow in fall. Golden flower panicles emerge lante summer to early fall. 3ft. tall.  Zone 3.