KSU Turfgrass Information Pages > Ornamental Grasses

Ornamental Grasses for the Midwest Arranged by Scientific Name.

Common Name	Genus species	Cultivar	Map #	Advertised Height	Hardiness
Alkali sacaton	Sporobolus airoides		101	2-5 ft	Zone 4-9
Autumn Flame Grass	Miscanthus	Purpurescens	39	4-5 ft	Zone 4
Autumn Moor Grass	Sesleria autumnalis		62	12-15"	Zone 5
Big Bluestem	Andropogon gerardii		1	5-8 ft	Zone 3
Blue Autumn Moor Grass	Sesleria caerulea		63	1 ft	Zone 4
Blue Grama	Bouteloua gracilis		4	8-15"	Zone 3
Blue Little Bluestem	Schizachyrium scoparium	The Blues	61	3 ft	Zone 3
Blue Lovegrass	Eragrostis elliotii		19	18"	Zone 5-9
Blue Lyme Grass	Leymus arenarius	Blue Dune	28	3-4 ft	hardy
Blue Sedge	Carex glauca		14	6-12"	Zone 5
Blue Switch Grass	Panicum virgatum	Prairie Sky	49	5 ft	Zone 5
Blue Switch Grass	Panicum virgatum	Dallas Blues	48	6 ft	Zone 4
Bluejoint Grass	Calamagrostis canadensis		6	3-5 ft	Zone 3
Bottlebrush Grass	Hystrix patula		24	2-5 ft	Zone 3
Bowles Golden Sedge	Carex elata	Bowles Golden	13	1-2 ft	Zone 5
Buffalo Grass	Buchloe dactyloides		5	4-8"	Zone 4
Clustered Fescue	Festuca paradoxa		22	2-4 ft	hardy
Common Rush	Juncus tenuis	Blue Dart	88	36"	Zone 5
Corynephorus	Corynephorus	Spiky Blue	79	8"	Annual
Dwarf Fountain Grass	Pennisetum alopecuroides	Hameln	52	1.5-2.5 ft	Zone 5-9
Dwarf Maiden Grass	Miscanthus sinensis	Yaku Jima	45	3-4 ft	Zone 5
Dwarf Maiden Grass	Miscanthus sinensis	Little Kitten	36	4 ft	Zone 5
Dwarf Maiden Grass	Miscanthus sinensis	Adagio	34	5 ft	Zone 6
Dwarf Maiden Grass	Miscanthus sinensis	Little Dot	33	4-5 ft	Zone 6
Dwarf Ribbon Grass	Phalaris arundinacea	Dwarf Garters	58	12-15"	Zone 4
Dwarf Zebra Grass	Miscanthus sinensis	Little Zebra	37	4 ft	Zone 6
Eastern Gamma Grass	Tripsacum dactyloides		68	8 ft	Zone 5
Eastern Star Sedge	Carex radiata		77	1-2 ft	hardy
Feather Grass	Stipa	Pony Tails	102		Zone 5-6
Feather Grass	Stipa lessingiana	Capriccio	67	1-2 ft	Zone 6
Feather Reed Grass	Calamagrostis x acutiflora	Overdam	9	3-5 ft	Zone 4
Feather Reed Grass	Calamagrostis x acutiflora	Karl Foerster	8	3-5 ft	Zone 5-9
Fescue	Festuca cinerea	Dwarf	20	10"	Zone 4
Fescue	Festuca glauca	Elijah's Blue	21	6-10"	Zone 4
Fescue	Festuca	Festina	83
Fiber Optic Grass (Annual)	Isolepis cernua	Live Wire	85	6-12"
Fountain Grass (Annual)	Pennisetum alopercuroides	Black Flower Grass	51	3-5 ft	Zone 8-11
Fountain Grass (Annual)	Pennisetum villosum	Feathertop Fountain Grass	98	18-36"
Fountain Grass (Annual)	Pennisetum setaceum	Tender Fountain Grass	97	2-3 ft
Fox Red Curly Sedge	Carex buchananii		11	2-3 ft	Zone 5
Giant Chinese Silver Grass	Miscanthus floridulus	Giganteus	32	8-15 ft	Zone 4-9
Golden Variegated Hakone Grass	Hakonechloa macra	Aureola	23	1-3 ft	Zone 4
Gossamer Grass	Anemanthele	Buffalo's Gold	69		unknown
Grasshopper Sedge (Annual)	Carex sp.	Grasshopper	10	12-16"	Annual
Gray's Sedge/Mace Sedge	Carex grayi		15	3 ft	hardy
Greater Wood Rush	Luzula sylvatica		30	20"	Zone 4
Hardy Pampas Grass/Ravenna Grass	Saccharum ravennae		59	14 ft	Zone 6
Indian Grass	Sorghastrum nutans		64	5-8 ft	Zone 3
Indian Ricegrass	Oryzopsis hymenoides	Nezpar	94	18"	Zone 5-10
Juncus Javelin (Annual)	Juncus pallidus	Javelin	26	5 ft	Zone 7
Junegrass	Koeleria	Coolio	89	10-12"	Zone 4-5
Junegrass	Koeleria cristata		27	2-6"	Zone 3-9
Little Bluestem	Schizachyrium scoparium		60	3 ft	Zone 3
Lovegrass	Eragrostis elliotii	Wind Dancer	18	2-3 ft	Zone 6
Maiden Grass	Miscanthus sinensis	Morning Light	38	7 ft	Zone 5
Maiden Grass	Miscanthus sinensis	Gracillimus	35	7-10 ft	Zone 5
Miniature Fountain Grass	Pennisetum alopecuroides	Little Bunny	53	10-12"	Zone 5-9
Moor Grass	Molinia arundinacea	Skyracer	46	7 ft	Zone 4
National Arboretum Fountain Grass	Pennisetum alopecuroides	National Arboretum	54	2 ft	Zone 6
Northern Sea Oats	Chasmanthium latifolium		78	24-48"	Zone 4-9
Oehme Palm Sedge	Carex muskingumensis	Oehme	16	2 ft	Zone 4
Oriental Fountain Grass	Pennisetum orientale	Karley Rose	55	4 ft	Zone 6
Ornamental Corn (Annual)	Zea mays japonica		103	4-6 ft
Ornamental Millet (Annual)	Pennisetum glaucum	Purple Majesty	96	4-5 ft
Ornamental Millet (Annual)	Pennisetum glaucum	Jester	95	3-4 ft
Palm Sedge	Carex muskingumensis		17	2 ft	Zone 4
Papyrus (Annual)	Cyperus papyrus	King Tut	80	4-6 ft
Pink Crystals Ruby Grass (Annual)	Melinis nerviglumis	Savannah	31	1-2 ft	Zone 9
Porcupine Grass	Miscanthus sinensis	Strictus	43	4-9 ft	Zone 5-9
Prairie Cord Grass	Spartina pectinata		100	4-10 ft	Zone 4-5
Prairie Dropseed	Sporobolus heterolepsis		66	1-3 ft	Zone 3
Princess Napiergrass (Annual)	Pennisetum purpureum	Princess	56	2-3 ft	Zone 7-11
Purple Fountain Grass (Annual)	Pennisetum setaceum	Rubrum	57	5 ft	Zone 9
Red Silver Maiden Grass	Miscanthus sinensis	Rotsilber	40	5-7 ft	hardy
Red Switch Grass	Panicum virgatum	Shenandoah	50	4 ft	Zone 5
Rough Dropseed	Sporobolus aspera		65	3 ft	Zone 5
Rush	Juncus ensifolius	Starhead	87
Rush	Juncus inflexus	Blue Arrows	25	3 ft	Zone 5-9
Rush	Luzula	Lucius	91		Zone 4-6
Rush	Luzula	Starmaker	92		Zone 4-6
Sand Lovegrasss	Eragrostis trichodes		82	2-4 ft	Zone 5
Sedge	Carex	Prairie Fire	71		Zone 5-6
Sedge	Carex	Bronzita	74		Zone 5-6
Sedge	Carex	Red Rooster	72		Zone 5-6
Sedge (Annual)	Carex flagellifera	Toffee Twist	76	18-24"
Sedge (Annual)	Carex	Bronco	70		Zone 6-7
Sedge (Annual)	Carex	Amazon Mist	73		Zone 6-7
Sideoats grama	Bouteloua curtipendula		3	3 ft	Zone 4
Silver Arrow Grass	Miscanthus sinensis	Silberfeil	42	7 ft	Zone 5
Silver Feather Grass	Miscanthus sinensis	Silberfeder	41	7 ft	Zone 4
Snowline Sedge	Carex cornica	Snowline	12	6"	Zone 5
Sprite Koeleria	Koeleria glauca	Blue Sprite	90	10-12"	Zone 5
Switch Grass	Panicum virgatum		47	4-8 ft	Zone 4
Variegated Giant Reed	Arundo donax	Variegata	2	14 ft	Zone 6
Variegated Maiden Grass	Miscanthus sinensis	Varigatus	44	7 ft	Zone 5
Virginia wild rye	Elymus virginicus		81	2-3 ft	Zone 3-8
Whiteroot Rush	Juncus brachycarpus		86	3 ft	hardy
Wild nodding fescue	Festuca obtusa		84	8-18"	hardy
Wolftail	Lycurus setosus		93	2 ft	Zone 5
Wood Rush	Luzula	Ruby Stiletto	29	8-12"	hardy
Yellow Indiangrass	Sorghastrum nutans	Cheyenne	99	3-5 ft	Zone 4-5
Yellowfruit Sedge	Carex annectens		75	2-3 ft	hardy