Plant Ornamental Grasses for Structure and Interest

Ornamental grasses are becoming quite popular with garden designers as well as the home gardener.  They add texture and interest to the garden, and when combined with a nice Oklahoma breeze the garden actually seems to come to life.  The smaller, clump forming grasses are valued as accent plants, while the larger ornamental grasses such as Miscanthus sinensis are useful for their landscape stature, and combine well with evergreen shrubs to create a privacy screen.

The graceful, arching foliage of grasses display rich colors over a long season.  Greens and blues are common in the summer, followed by rich, autumn colors in fall and winter. Most have flowerheads or plumes that dry well and last into winter.  Leave the seedpods and plumes on the plants to add interest to the garden over winter, or cut them for long-lasting indoor arrangements.

Ornamental grasses need full sun and well-drained soil.  They are a good choice for busy gardeners because they require very little care and little or no pruning.  They are resistant to most insects, and they tolerate our summer heat well.  The only care needed is a good hair cut in late winter to make room for new growth in the spring.

Here are a few of our favorites:

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Miscanthus sinensis:(Cabaret)

Also known as Japanese Silver Grass Cabaret.  Very exciting foliage on this clump-forming perennial grass.  The rich green broad blades have conspicuous milky-white stripes.  This one is quite showy!  Copper colored plumes appear in early fall, age to a cream color on stems that turn a blush pink as they mature.  This one will get 6-7' tall and 3-4' wide. 

Miscanthus sinensis: (Gracillimus)

This one is also called Maiden Grass.  It is an attractive ornamental grass with fine-textured silver-green blades that turn golden brown after the first frost.  Delicate silvery white plumes.  This perennial grass likes full sun and is a moderate clumping grower that can reach 6-8' tall and 3-5' wide. 

Miscanthus sinensis purpurascens

Also known as Flame Grass, it has purple-tinged green blades in summer with a pink midrib that turns brilliant red-orange in fall, attractive coloring lasting through the winter.  Mauve colored feathery plumes, stalks reach about 2' above the foliage.  It likes full sun and can reach 3-4' tall and wide. 

Pennisetum alopecuroides (Hameln)

This one is also called Fountain Grass.  It has fluffy, buff colored plumes araching above the foliage.  Terrific contrast used among shrubs or as a backdrop in a perennial bed.  Dark green blades turn russet in the fall.  It likes full sun and grows 2-3' tall and 1-2' wide. 

Pennisetum setaceum (Rubrum)

This grass is called appropriately Purple Fountain Grass because of its purplish-maroon blades.  Topped by rose-red flower spikes summer through fall.  Beautiful as a landscape specimen or planted in groups.  It also likes full sun and grows 2-4' tall and 2-3' wide.