Perennial Ornamental Grass suggestions???

Hi folks,


I need some ornamental ( perennial ) grass suggestions for my zone 5b Canada. These are going to be going on the front lawn and back yard. The plan is to start taking out some sod, and replace it with grass ( tall and medium ), along with some flowers.

The suggestions have to be full sun types. I was looking at the following:

pampas grass
moss grass
Miscanthus Sinensis
Karl Foerster

Any others?

Thx

 

The vast majority of grasses need full sun so that won't be a problem, and in zone 5, the possibilities are almost unlimited. Bluestem Nurseries has a good website and comparison chart that should be helpful:
http://www.bluestem.ca/

 

Pampas grass wouldn't seem likely to be hardy there.

 

Bullseye,

You could try Northern Sea Oats (known in latin as chasmanthium latifolium and uniola latifolium). They are a very attractive perennial grass (clump forming I believe) that should be hardy to zone 5. I am sure there are many other varieties that would also suit your needs!

Good luck with your search,

 

I have read a little about Miscanthus sinensis being invasive. It seems there is a growing problem in the Eastern U.S., in Pennsylvania and North Carolina and south. Don't know about up north, though.

Big blue stem (Andropogon gerardii) might be a good substitute. It makes an upright clump of stems and has wide flattened leaves. Grows at tall as a person.

Our friends at Missouri Botanical Garden say: " It may be grown as an ornamental grass because of its attractive foliage which changes color seasonally, its good architectural height and its interesting flower/seed heads."
http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=G720

I like the blue fescues. They form mounds of gray-bluish grass. Large blue fescue (Festuca amethystina) is a little hardier, I think. We have Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue' in the front of some of our beds. It is short, maybe half a foot tall.

Chasmanthium is beautiful. Its flat seed heads dangle from the end of the stem and dance in the wind.

 

Thanks for that! I ended up getting the following:

1. Karl foerster

2. Miscanthus Goliath

3. something foxtrot

All 2 gallon pots