Decorative grasses have really started coming into their own during the past decade or so.
When I think back into the early 1960s there were only three selections of perennial grasses featured in most seed company catalogs and garden centers.
The three ornamental grasses included a dwarf (Dwarf Blue Fescue), a medium sized cultivar (Standard Fountain Grass) and a tall specimen (White Pampas Grass).
How times have changed as you will soon discover after checking out the following popular varieties of decorative grasses.
The chart below should be very helpful in deciding which grass species will fit into your landscape design and thrive in your local climate.
| VARIETY | FOLIAGE COLOR | HEIGHT X WIDTH | ZONE |
| Alopecurus p. a. Foxtail Grass | Yellow-Green | 4-6” X 18” | 5 |
| Andropogon g. ‘Pawnee’ Big Bluestem | Blue – Light Red in fall | 5-6” X 1-2’ | 4 |
| Andropogon g. ‘Silver Sunrise’ | Blue – Purple in fall | 5’ X 2’ | 4 |
| Aristida p. Purple Three Awn | Mahogany to purple | 15-20” X 12” | 4 |
| Arrhenatherum b. v. Variegated Tuber Oat Grass | Green with White Variegation | 15” X 12-24” | 4 |
| Arundo d. v. Var. Giant Reed | Green with White Variegation | 9-12’ X 8’ | 6 |
| Bouteloua c. ‘Trailway’ Sideoats Grama | Green | 16-32” X 18” | 4 |
| Bouteloua gracilis Blue Grama | Blue-Green | 6-20” X 18” | 4 |
| Briza media Quaking Grass | Green | 18” X 12” | 4 |
| Buchloe d. Buffalo Grass | Green | 3-6” X 6-12” | 4 |
| Buchloe d. ‘Legacy’ | Green | 4-6” X 18” | 4 |
| Calamagrostis a. ’Avalanche’ Reed Grass | Green with White center stripe | 4’ X 1-2’ | 4 |
| Calamagrostis a. ‘Eldorado’ Reed Grass | Green with Gold center stripe | 4-5’ X 2-3’ | 5 |
| Calamagrostis a. ‘Karl Foerster’ | Green | 5-6’ X 2-3’ | 5 |
| Calamagrostis a. ‘Overdam’ | Green with White edge | 2-3’ X 2-3’ | 5 |
| Calamagrostis brachytricha | Green | 42” X 30” | 5 |
| Carex ‘Beatlemania’ Sedge | Dark Green edged in Gold | 6” X 24” | 5 |
| Carex ‘Blue Zinger’ Sedge | Blue-Gray | 10-20” X 18” | 5 |
| Carex b. Leather-Leaf Sedge | Everbrown Cinnamon | 2’ X 2-3’ | 5 |
| Carex conica ‘Snowline’ Sedge | Dark Green with White margins | 12-15” X 12-24” | 5 |
| Carex grayi Gray’s Sedge | Green | 2-3’ X 1-2’ | 4 |
| Carex ‘Kaga Nishiki’ | Green with Gold | 12-15” X 20” | 5 |
| Carex morrowii ‘Ice Dance’ | Deep Green with White | 9-12” X 12-24” | 5 |
| Carex muskingumensis Palm Sedge | Green | 30” X 24-36” | 4 |
| Carex m. ‘Little Midge’ | Green | 10” X 12-15” | 5 |
| Carex o.’Evergold’ | Green with Yellow | 12” X 20” | 5/6 |
| Carex p. Plaintain Sedge | Green | 15” X 15” | 4 |
| Carex ‘Silver Sceptre’ | Green with White | 9-12” X 9-18” | 5 |
| Chasmanthium Northern Sea Oats | Green | 3’ X 1-2’ | 3 |
| Cortaderia s. White Pampas | Green | 10-12’ X 6’ | 6 |
| Cortaderia s. Pink Pampas | Green | 10-12’ X 6’ | 6 |
| Deschampsia c. Tufted Hair Grass | Green | 2-3” X 1-2’ | 4 |
| Deschampsia c. ‘Northern Lights’ | Green with Pink blush on new growth | 16” X 24” | 5 |
| Elymus c. Canada Nodding Wild-Rye | Green | 30-42” X 36-48” | 3 |
| Equisetum h. Horsetail Rush | Green | 4’ X 3-5’ | 2 |
| Eragrostis e. ‘Wind Dancer’ Love Grass | Bluish-Green | 3-4’ X 2-3’ | 6 |
| Eragrostis t. Sand Love Grass | Green | 3’ X 2-3’ | 5 |
| Festuca c. Dwarf Blue Fescue | Blue | 10” X 12” | 4 |
| Festuca g. ‘Elijah Blue’ Fescue | Blue | 10” X 10” | 4 |
| Helictotrichon s. Oatgrass | Blue | 24” X 18” | 4 |
| Helictotrichon s. Sapphire | Blue | 12-18” X 15-24” | 4 |
| Imperata c. ‘Red Baron’ | Green with Red | 12-18” X 12-18” | 5 |
| Juncus e. ‘Spiralis’ Corkscrew Rush | Dark Green | 1’ X 1’ | 4 |
| Juncus t. Path Rush | Emerald Green | 4-6” X 24” | 4 |
| Koeleria m. Junegrass | Dark Green | 12” X 18” | 4 |
| Leymus a. Blue Lyme Grass | Blue-Gray | 3-4’ X 2’ | 4 |
| Miscanthus ‘Giganteus’ | Green | 10-12’ X 4’ | 4 |
| Miscanthus s. ‘Robustus’ | Green | 4-7’ X 2-3’ | 4 |
| Miscanthus ‘Silberfeder’Silver Feather | Green | 6-8’ X 4’ | 5 |
| Miscanthus s. Japanese Silver Grass | Green | 7-8’ X 5’ | 5 |
| Miscanthus s. ‘Adagio’ | Silver-Gray | 4’ X 2’ | 4 |
| Miscanthus s. ‘Gracillimus’ Maiden Grass | Green | 5-7’ X 2-3’ | 5 |
| Miscanthus s. ‘Morning Light’ | Silver Variegated | 5-7’ X 2-4’ | 5 |
| Miscanthus s. ‘Nippon’ | Green | 4-5’ X 2-3’ | 5 |
| Miscanthus s. v. p. ‘Autumn Red’ | Green turning Red to Purple in fall | 3-4’ X 2’ | 5 |
| Miscanthus s. ‘Silberpfeil’ Silver Arrow | Highly Variegated | 5-7’ X 2-4’ | 5 |
| Miscanthus s. ‘Strictus’ Porcupine Grass | Horizontal Bar Variegation | 6-8’ X 3-4’ | 5 |
| Miscanthus s. ‘Super Stripe’ | Green with Gold Variegation | 4’ X 2’ | 5 |
| Miscanthus s. ‘Zebrinus’ Zebra Grass | Green with Yellow Variegation | 5-7’ X 5-7’ | 5 |
| Oryzopsis h. Indian Rice Grass | Green | 24” X 18-24” | 4 |
| Panicum v. ‘Dallas Blues’ Switchgrass | Bluish-Purple | 7’ X 3-4’ | 5 |
| Panicum v. ‘Heavy Metal’ | Blue | 4-5’ X 2-3’ | 5 |
| Panicum v. ‘North Wind’ | Blue | 4-5’ X 2-3’ | 2 |
| Panicum v. ‘Rehbraun’ Red Switchgrass | Outstanding fall color | 3-4’ X 2’ | 5 |
| Panicum v. ‘Shenandoah’ Red Switchgrass | Dark Red to Burgundy then to Wine | 4’ X 2’ | 5 |
| Panicum v. ‘Strictum’ | Blue-Green | 6’ X 2-3’ | 5 |
| Panicum v. ‘Trailblazer’ | Blue-Green | 4-5’ X 2-3’ | 5 |
| Pennisetum a. Chinese Pennisetum | Silver-Purple Spikes | 42” X 24” | 5 |
| Pennisetum a. ‘Hameln’ Dwarf Fountain | Green | 24-36” X 12-18” | 5 |
| Pennisetum a. ‘Little Bunny’ | Green | 10-12” X 10-12” | 5 |
| Pennisetum a. ‘Little Honey’ | Variegated Sport of Little Bunny | 8-12” X 12” | 6 |
| Pennisetum a. ‘National Arboretum’ | Dark Green | 2-3’ X 1-2’ | 5 |
| Pennisetum a. viridescens | Deep Green | 30” X 18” | 5 |
| Pennisetum ‘Burgundy Giant’ | Purple | 4’ X 2’ | 9 |
| Pennisetum o. ‘Tall Tails’ | Green | 5-6’ X 2-3’ | 6 |
| Pennisetum ‘Red Head’ | Red Plumes | 2-4’ X 2’ | 5 |
| Pennisetum s. c. ‘Compactum’ | Purple | 12-18” X 12” | 10 |
| Pennisetum s. ‘Rubrum’ Purple Fountain Grass | Purple | 36-40” X 24” | 9 |
| Pennisetum v. Feathertop | Snowy White Inflorescence | 18-24” X 18-24” | 7 |
| Phalaris a. ‘Feesey’ Variegated Ribbon Grass | Pink Variegation | 40” X 24” | 3 |
| Phalaris a. ‘Picta Variegated Ribbon Grass | White Variegation | 18” X 12-18” | 3 |
| Poa a. Miniature Blue Grass | Dark Green | 1” X 6-12” | 5 |
| Saccharum r. Hardy Pampas | Green | 8-10’ X 4-5’ | 5 |
| Schizachyrium s. ‘Blaze’ Little Bluestem | Blue to Russet-Red through fall and winter | 36” X 18-24” | 4 |
| Schizachyrium s. ‘The Blues’ | Deep Blue | 36” X 18-24” | 5 |
| Sesleria a. Autumn Moor Grass | Yellow-Green | 12-15” X 15-18” | 5 |
| Sesleria c. Blue Moor Grass | Blue | 1’ X 1’ | 4 |
| Sorghastrum n. Indian Grass | Green | 4-5’ X 1-2’ | 3 |
| Sorghastrum n. ‘Indian Steel’ | Blue-Green | 32-42” X 24-32” | 4 |
| Spartina p. Prairie Cordgrass | Green | 4-6’ X 2’ | 4 |
| Spartina p. ‘Aureomarginata’ Variegated Prairie Cordgrass | Green with Yellow Margins | 4-6’ X 2’ | 4 |
| Sporobolus a. Tall Dropseed | Green | 24-48” X 24-30” | 3 |
| Sporobolus h. Prairie Dropseed | Green | 2’ X 1’ | 3 |
| Stipa c. Needlegrass | Green | 32” X 18-24” | 4 |
| Stipa v. Needlegrass | Green | 18-24” X 18-24” | 3 |
