Grasses: 30 Special Features and Uses MaryHockenberryMeyer,ExtensionHorticulturistandProfessor,andDianeNarem,HorticulturalResearcher

GRASSESFORWILDLIFE

Larvalfoodfornativebutterflies:bigbluestem,Andropogongerardiisideoatsgrama,Boutelouacurtipendulabluegrama,Boutelouagracilislakesedge,Carexlacustristussocksedge,Carexstrictariveroats,ChasmanthiumlatifoliumJunegrass,Koeleriamacranthaswitchgrass,Panicumvirgatumlittlebluestem,SchizachyriumscopariumIndiangrass,Sorghastrumnutans

skipperbutterflyonribbongrassSeedssongbirdsandwildturkeyslove:sideoatsgrama,Boutelouacurtipendulabluegrama,Boutelouagracilisbluefescue,Festuca‘ElijahBlue’switchgrass,Panicumvirgatumlittlebluestem,SchizachyriumscopariumIndiangrass,Sorghastrumnutansprairiedropseed,Sporobolusheterolepis

bluegrama

Coverforwildlife:bigbluestem,Andropogongerardiisideoatsgrama,Boutelouacurtipendulabluegrama,Boutelouagracilislakesedge,Carexlacustristussocksedge,Carexstrictapalmsedge,CarexmuskingumensisJunegrass,Koeleriamacranthaswitchgrass,Panicumvirgatumlittlebluestem,SchizachyriumscopariumIndiangrass,Sorghastrumnutansprairiedropseed,Sporobolusheterolepis

sparrownestinnativegrass

AFNRHorticulturalScience

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COLORFULGRASSES

FallColorfallbloomingreedgrass,Calamagrostisbrachytricharedflamemiscanthus,Miscanthus‘Purpurescens’ tallmoorgrass,Moliniacaeruleasubsp.arundinacea‘Cordoba’,‘Skyracer’,‘Transparent’,‘Windspiel’ switchgrass,Panicumvirgatum‘PrairieFire’ littlebluestem,SchizachyriumscopariumBlueHeaven®prairiecordgrass,Spartinapectinataprairiedropseed,Sporobolusheterolepis

FallcolorMinnesotaLandscapeArboretumGrassCollection

BlueFoliagebigbluestem,Andropogongerardii‘LordSnowden’carnationsedge,Carexflaccabluefescue,Festuca‘BeyondBlue’,CoolasIce’,'ElijahBlue' blueoatgrass,Helictotrichonsempervirensbluelymegrass,Leymusarenariusswitchgrass,Panicumamarum‘DeweyBlue’

‘CoolasIce’bluefescue

yellowhakonegrassinthemidstofredflowers

YellowFoliagefeatherreedgrass,Calamagrositsxacutiflora‘Art’sGold’,‘ElDorado’Bowles’sGoldensedge,Carexelata‘Aurea’broad-leafedsedge,Carexsiderosticha‘BananaBoat’ hakonegrass,Hakonechloamacra‘Aurea’,‘AllGold’goldenwoodmillet,Milliumeffusum‘Aureum’variegatedmoorgrass,Moliniacaerulea‘Variegata’

Bowles’sgoldensedge

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Purplefoliagebigbluestem,Andropogongerardii‘Blackhawks’,‘RedOctober’switchgrass,Panicumvirgatum‘HotRod’,‘RubyRibbons’,‘PrairieFire’,CheyenneSky’,‘Shenandoah’purplemillet,Pennisetumspp.‘Prince’,’Princess’,PrincessCaroline’,‘PrincessMolly’,‘PurpleMajesty’,‘Vertigo’(annuals)littlebluestem,Schizachyriumscoparium‘SmokeSignal’

‘LordSnowden’leftand‘RedOctober’right,bigbluestem

WinterInterestJapanesesilvergrass,Miscanthussinensis‘SilverFeather’,‘Purpurescens’ tallmoorgrass,Moliniacaeruleasubsp.arundinacea‘Cordoba’,‘Skyracer’,‘Transparent’,‘Windspiel’ switchgrass,Panicumvirgatum‘CheyenneSky’,‘Northwind’,‘PrairieFire’,‘Thundercloud’littlebluestem,SchizachyriumscopariumIndiangrass,Sorghastrumnutans

switchgrassinthewinter

Switchgrass“PrairieFire”

Stripedfoliagefeatherreedgrass,Calamagrositsxacutiflora‘Overdam’and‘Avalanche’Japanesesedge,Carex‘IceDance’stripedsedge,Carex‘SilverScepter’broadleafsedge,Carexsiderosticha‘Variegata’hakonegrass,Hakonechloamacra‘Albo-striata’Japanesesilvergrass,Miscanthussinensis‘Rigoletto’,‘Silberfeil’,‘Variegatus’

broad-leafedsedge,right;palmsedgeleft

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GRASSESFORSPECIFICSITES

FrontofborderBowles’goldensedge,Carexelata‘Aurea’BunnyBluesedge,Carexlaxiculmis‘BunnyBlue’Oehmepalmsedge,Carexmuskingumensis‘Oehme’ broadleafsedge,Carexsiderosticha‘Variegata’bluefescue,Festuca‘BeyondBlue’,CoolasIce’,'ElijahBlue' hakonegrass,Hakonechloamacra‘Aurea’variegatedmoorgrass,Moliniacaerulea‘Variegata’ prairiedropseed,Sporobolusheterolepis‘Tara’

hakonegrass

Containersfeatherreedgrass,Calamagrostis×acutiflora'Avalanche','Overdam'‘BananaBoat’sedge,Carexsiderosticha‘BananaBoat’sedges,Carex‘RedRooster’,‘ToffeeTwist’(annuals)palmsedge,Carexmuskingumensis'LittleMidge’,'Oehme' bluefescue,Festucaglauca‘BeyondBlue’,CoolasIce’,'ElijahBlue' hakonegrass,Hakonechloamacraandcultivars blueoatgrass,HelictotrichonsempervirensJapanesesilvergrass,Miscanthussinensis'Variegatus'purplefountaingrass,Pennisteumadvena‘CherrySparkler’,‘Fireworks’,‘SkyRocket’purplemillet,Pennisetumhybrids‘Prince’,‘PrincessCaroline’,‘PrincessMolly’,‘PurpleMajesty’,‘Vertigo’(annuals)orientalfountaingrass,PennisteumorientaleMexicanneedlegrass,Nassellatenuissima

‘Skyrocket’Pennisetum

Drysoilsideoatsgrama,Boutelouacurtipendulabluegrama,Boutelouagracilisbluefescue,Festucaglauca‘BeyondBlue’,CoolasIce’,'ElijahBlue'blueoatgrass,HelictotrichonsempervirenJunegrass,Koeleriamacranthalittlebluestem,Schizachyriumscopariumprairiedropseed,SporobolusheterolepisHeavyclaysoilbigbluestem,Andropogongerardiipalmsedge,Carexmuskingumensisbluelymegrass,Leymusarenarius‘BlueDunes’switchgrass,PanicumvirgatumIndiangrass,Sorghastrumnutans

Indiangrass

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Wetsitespalmsedge,Carexmuskingumensislakesedge,Carexlacustrisriveroats,ChasmanthiumlatifoliumAmericanmannagrass,Glyceriagrandisswitchgrass,Panicumvirgatumprairiecordgrass,Spartinapectinata

riveroatsAlkalineSoilsbigbluestem,Andropogongerardiisideoatsgrama,Boutelouacurtipendulabluegrama,Boutelouagracilisplainsovalsedge,Carexbreviorswitchgrass,Panicumvirgatumlittlebluestem,SchizachyriumscopariumIndiangrass,Sorghastrumnutans

bluejoint

Lakeshores,cantoleratechangesinwaterlevelandstandingwaterbluejoint,Calamagrostiscanadensis bottlebrushsedge,Carexcomosa macesedge,Carexgrayi lakesedge,Carexlacustris palmsedge,Carexmuskingumensis tussocksedge,Carexstricta Americanmannagrass,Glyceriagrandis prairiecordgrass,Spartinapectinata Salttolerantsideoatsgrama,Boutelouacurtipendulabluegrama,Boutelouagracilislittlebluestem,SchizachyriumscopariumLightshadeporcupinesedge,CarexhystericinaPennsylvaniasedge,Carexpensylvanicariveroats,Chasmanthiumlatifolium tuftedhairgrass,Deschampsiacaespitosaeasternbottlebrush,Elymushystrixvar.hystrixhakonegrass,Hakonechloamacra&cultivarswoodrush,Luzulaspecies goldenwoodmillet,Miliumeffusum‘Aureum’

bottlebrushgrassHeavyshadecarnationsedge,Carexflaccapalmsedge,Carexmuskingumensislong-stalkedsedge,CarexpedunculataPennsylvaniasedge,Carexpensylvanicariveroats,Chasmanthiumlatifoliumtuftedhairgrass,Deschampsiacaespitosawoodrush,Luzulasylvatica

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tuftedharigrassDryshade:undermaple,boxelderorsprucetreescarnationsedge,Carexflacca Pennsylvaniasedge,CarexpensylvanicaEasternstarsedge,Carexradiatabluefescue,Festucaglauca‘BeyondBlue’,CoolasIce’,'ElijahBlue'blueoatgrass,HelictotrichonsempervirensJunegrass,Koeleriamacrantha

PennsylvaniasedgeSlopes/steepbanks,thesegrasseshavecreepingrhizomescarnationsedge,Carexflaccablackfloweredsedge,Carexnigra‘Variegata’Pennsylvaniasedge,Carexpensylvanicabluelymegrass,Leymusarenariusribbongrass,Phalarisarundinacea‘StrawberriesandCream’

GroundcoverPennsylvaniasedge,Carexpensylvanicaeasternstarsedge,Carexradiatacarnationsedge,Carexflaccablack-floweredsedge,Carexnigra‘Variegata’bluefescue,Festuca‘BeyondBlue’,‘CoolasIce’,'ElijahBlue' hakonegrass,Hakonechloamacrasweetgrass,Hierochloeodorata

PennsylvaniasedgeBerms:septicandmoresideoatsgrama,Boutelouacurtipendulabluegrama,Boutelouagracilisplainsovalsedge,Carexbreviorbluefescue,Festuca‘BeyondBlue’,CoolasIce’,'ElijahBlue' blueoatgrass,HelictotrichonsempervirensJunegrass,Koeleriamacranthalittlebluestem,Schizachyriumscopariumprairiedropseed,Sporobolusheterolepis

carnationsedge

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Screenorhedge3-4feettallfeatherreedgrass,Calamagrostisxacutiflora‘Overdam’fallbloomingreedgrass,Calamagrostisbrachytrichapalmsedge,Carexmuskingumensispurplemoorgrass,Moliniacaerulea'Moorhexe'switchgrass,Panicumvirgatum‘CapeBreeze’,‘CheyenneSky’,‘PrairieFire’littlebluestem,SchizachyriumscopariumBlueHeaven®5feettallJapanesesilvergrass,Miscanthussinensis‘KleinFontaene’switchgrass,Panicumvirgatum‘Badlands’,‘Shenandoah’silverspikegrass,Spodiopogonsibiricus5-7feettallJapanesesilvergrass,Miscanthussinensis‘Blondo’,‘SilverFeather’,'Strictus','Zebrinus’ switchgrass,Panicumvirgatum‘Cloud9’,’Northwind’,‘Thundercloud’ Indiangrass,Sorghastrumnutans‘SiouxBlue’See-throughscreenorhedge,5-7feettallmoorgrass,Moliniacaeruleasubsp.arundinacea‘Cordoba’,‘Skyracer’,‘Transparent’,‘Windspiel’Windbreaksbigbluestem,Andropogongerardii‘IndianWarrior’,‘RedOctober’ switchgrass,Panicumvirgatum‘Badlands’,’Northwind’,‘Thundercloud’,’Shenandoah’ Indiangrass,Sorghastrumnutanssilverspikegrass,Spodiopogonsibiricus

‘Moorhexe’purplemoorgrass

‘Skyracer’tallmoorgrass

silverspikegrass

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GRASSESWITHSPECIALFEATURESHardyinUSDAZone3bigbluestem,Andropogongerardiibluegrama,Boutelouagracilissideoatsgrama,Boutelouacurtipendulafeatherreedgrass,Calamagrostisxacutiflora'KarlFoerster'&’Overdam’ fallbloomingreedgrass,Calamagrostisbrachytrichatuftedhairgrass,Deschampsiacaespitosafescue,Festucaglauca'ElijahBlue'blueoatgrass,Helictotrichonsempervirensredflamemiscanthus,Miscanthus'Purpurascens'Japanesesilvergrass,Miscanthussinensis'Silberfeder'variegatedpurplemoorgrass,Moliniacaerulea'Variegata’ tallmoorgrass,Moliniacaeruleasubsp.arundinacea'Windspiel' switchgrass,Panicumvirgatumlittlebluestem,Schizachyriumscopariumsilverspikegrass,Spodiopogonsibiricus

Crookston,Minnesotagrassevaluations

Grasseswithrhizomestobindlakeshoresorcovertoughsitesbluejoint,Calamagrostiscanadensiscarnationsedge,Carexflacca Pennsylvaniasedge,CarexpensylvanicaAmericanmannagrass,Glyceriagrandissweetgrass,Hierochloeodorata bluelymegrass,Leymusarenariusprairiecordgrass,Spartinapectinata

Self-seedinggrassesmacesedge,Carexgrayiporcupinesedge,Carexhystericinapalmsedge,Carexmuskingumensislong-beakedsedge,Carexsprengelii riveroats,Chasmanthiumlatifoliumlovegrass,Eragrostiscurvula'WindDancer'bluefescue,FestucaspeciesSiberianmelicgrass,Melicaaltissimavar.atropurpureaJapanesesilvergrass,Miscanthussinensiscultivars

*twoormorecultivarsgrowntogethercross-pollinateandsetseed;plantonlywhereyoucanmonitorseedlings;Miscanthusisconsideredaninvasiveplantineasternandmid-Atlanticstates.*

tallpurplemoorgrass,Moliniacaeruleassp.arundinacea Mexicanfeathergrass,Nassellatenuissima(annual)panicgrass,Panicum'FrostedExplosion'(annual)switchgrass,Panicumvirgatum fountaingrass,Pennisetumalopecuroideslittlebluestem,Schizachyriumscoparium

macesedge

For more information about grasses and sedges see: http://grasses.cfans.umn.edu and https://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/landscaping/ornamental-grasses-for-cold-climates/.