Ornamental Grasses for the Midwest Arranged by Height.
Common Name |
Genus Species |
Map #
|
Advertised Height
|
Zone
|
| Buffalo Grass | Buchloe dactyloides | 5 |
4 - 8" |
Zone 4 |
| Fescue | Festuca glauca 'Elija's Blue' | 21 |
6 - 10" |
Zone 4 |
| Blue Sedge | Carex glauca | 14 |
6 - 12" |
Zone 5 |
| Wood Rush | Luzula 'Ruby Stiletto' | 29 |
8 - 12" |
hardy |
| Blue Grama | Bouteloua gracilis | 4 |
8 - 15" |
Zone 3 |
| Fescue | Festuca cinerea 'Dwarf' | 20 |
10 |
Zone 4 |
| Miniature Fountain Grass | Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Little Bunny' | 53 |
10 - 12 |
Zone 5-9 |
| Blue Autumn Moor Grass | Sesleria caerulea | 63 |
12 |
Zone 4 |
| Dwarf Ribbon Grass | Phalaris arundinacea 'Dwarf Garters' | 58 |
12 - 15 |
Zone 4 |
| Autumn Moor Grass | Sesleria autumnalis | 62 |
12 - 15 |
Zone 5 |
| Grasshopper Sedge | Carex sp. 'Grasshopper' | 10 |
12 - 16 |
Zone 5 |
| Pink Crystals Ruby Grass (Annual) | Melinis nerviglumis 'Savannah' | 31 |
12 - 24 |
Zone 9 |
| Bowles Golden Sedge | Carex elata 'Bowles Golden' | 13 |
12 - 24 |
Zone 5 |
| Capriccio Stipa | Stipa lessingiana | 67 |
12 - 24 |
Zone 6 |
| Golden Variegated Hakone Grass | Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' | 23 |
12 - 36 |
Zone 4 |
| Prairie Dropseed | Sporobolus heterolepsis | 66 |
12 - 36 |
Zone 3 |
| Junegrass | Koeleria cristata | 27 |
12 - 72 |
Zone 3-9 |
| Blue Lovegrass | Eragrostis elliotii | 19 |
18 |
Zone 5-9 |
| Dwarf Fountain Grass | Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln' | 52 |
18 - 30 |
Zone 5-9 |
| Greater Wood Rush | Luzula sylvatica | 30 |
20 |
Zone 4 |
| Oehme Palm Sedge | Carex muskingumensis 'Oehme' | 16 |
24" |
Zone 4 |
| Palm Sedge | Carex muskingumensis | 17 |
24" |
Zone 4 |
| National Arboretum Fountain Grass | Pennisetum alopecuroides 'National Arboretum' | 54 |
24" |
Zone 6 |
| Princess Napiergrass | Pennisetum purpureum 'Princess' | 56 |
24 - 36 |
Zone 7-11 |
| Fox Red Curly Sedge | Carex buchananii | 11 |
24 - 36 |
Zone 5 |
| Lovegrass | Eragrostis elliotii 'Wind Dancer' | 18 |
24 - 36" |
Zone 6 |
| Clustered Fescue | Festuca paradoxa | 22 |
24 - 48" |
hardy |
| Bottlebrush Grass | Hystrix patula | 24 |
24 - 60" |
Zone 3 |
| Gray's Sedge/Mace Sedge | Carex grayi | 15 |
36" |
hardy |
| Sideoats grama | Bouteloua curtipendula | 3 |
36" |
Zone 4 |
| Rough Dropseed | Sporobolus aspera | 65 |
36" |
Zone 5 |
| Little Bluestem | Schizachyrium scoparium | 60 |
36" |
Zone 3 |
| Juncus Blue Arrows | Juncus inflexus | 25 |
36" |
Zone 5-9 |
| The Blues Little Bluestem | Schizachyrium scoparium 'The Blues' | 61 |
36" |
Zone 3 |
| Yaku Jima Dwarf Maiden Grass | Miscanthus sinensis 'Yaku Jima' | 45 |
36 - 48" |
Zone 5 |
| Blue Dune Lyme Grass | Leymus arenarius 'Blue Dune' | 28 |
36 - 48" |
hardy |
| Fountain Grass | Pennisetum alopercuroides | 51 |
36 - 60" |
Zone 8-11 |
| Overdam Feather Reed Grass | Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Overdam' | 9 |
36 - 60" |
Zone 4 |
| Foerster's Feather Reed Grass | Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' | 8 |
36 - 60" |
Zone 5-9 |
| Bluejoint Grass | Calamagrostis canadensis | 6 |
36 - 60" |
Zone 3 |
| Shenandoah Red Switch Grass | Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah' | 50 |
48" |
Zone 5 |
| Oriental Fountain Grass | Pennisetum orientale 'Karley Rose' | 55 |
48" |
Zone 6 |
| Little Kitten Dwarf Maiden Grass | Miscanthus sinensis 'Little Kitten' | 36 |
48" |
Zone 5 |
| Dwarf Zebra Grass | Miscanthus sinensis 'Little Zebra' | 37 |
48" |
Zone 6 |
| Flame Grass | Miscanthus 'Purpurescens' | 39 |
48 - 60" |
Zone 4 |
| Little Dot Maiden Grass | Miscanthus sinensis 'Little Dot' | 33 |
48 - 60" |
Zone 6 |
| Switch Grass | Panicum virgatum | 47 |
48 - 96" |
Zone 4 |
| Porcupine Grass | Miscanthus sinensis 'Strictus' | 43 |
48 - 108" |
Zone 5-9 |
| Purple Fountain Grass (Annual) | Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum' | 57 |
60" |
Zone 9 |
| Prairie Sky Switch Grass | Panicum virgatum 'Prairie Sky' | 49 |
60" |
Zone 5 |
| Adagio Dwarf Maiden Grass | Miscanthus sinensis 'Adagio' | 34 |
60" |
Zone 6 |
| Juncus Javelin | Juncus pallidus | 26 |
60" |
hardy |
| Red Silver Maiden Grass | Miscanthus sinensis 'Rotsilber' | 40 |
60 - 84" |
hardy |
| Big Bluestem | Andropogon gerardii | 1 |
60 - 96" |
Zone 3 |
| Indian Grass | Sorghastrum nutans | 64 |
60 - 96" |
Zone 3 |
| Snowline Sedge | Carex cornica 'Snowline' | 12 |
72" |
Zone 5 |
| Dallas Blues Switch Grass | Panicum virgatum 'Dallas Blues' | 48 |
72" |
Zone 4 |
| Silver Feather Grass | Miscanthus sinensis 'Silberfeder' | 41 |
84" |
Zone 4 |
| Silver Arrow Grass | Miscanthus sinensis 'Silberfeil' | 42 |
84" |
Zone 5 |
| Morning Light Maiden Grass | Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light' | 38 |
84" |
Zone 5 |
| Moor Grass | Molinia arundinacea 'Skyracer' | 46 |
84" |
Zone 4 |
| Variegated Maiden Grass | Miscanthus sinensis 'Variegatus' | 44 |
84" |
Zone 5 |
| Maiden Grass | Miscanthus sinensis 'Gracillimus' | 35 |
84 - 120" |
Zone 5 |
| Eastern Gamma Grass | Tripsacum dactyloides | 68 |
96" |
Zone 5 |
| Giant Chinese Silver Grass | Miscanthus floridulus 'Giganteus' | 32 |
96 - 180" |
Zone 4-9 |
| Hardy Pampas Grass/Ravenna Grass | Erianthus ravennae / Saccharum ravennae | 59 |
168 |
Zone 6 |
| Variegated Giant Reed | Arundo donax variegata | 2 |
168 |
Zone 6 |
