Comparison Chart for Ornamental Grasses. This is a grass to use in areas near public sidewalks or driveways where you want the lush texture of a grass but need one that can handle a tough site. Observe up close, if possible. Whether you want a thick green lawn or a sea of swaying ornamental foliage, grasses are easy to grow and adaptable to many types of situations. Landscape Uses: 1. Dividing is another maintenance technique that is required for clump forming grasses. The optimum temperature for growth is between 15 and 23 degrees Celsius. Dry open soil from Newfoundland to British Columbia. In some cases, the centers of the grass clumps will have died out and need to be removed. Ornamental grasses are fairly new to the landscape scene—they've increased in popularity in the past couple decades. Proprietor Karen Abrahams operates the nursery with family and friends and shares the love of Ontario's natural areas and native flora with native plant gardeners across the Greater Toronto Area. Some care instructions advise to cut grasses down to a few inches above ground in fall or spring and to divide clumps when the grass's growth begins to weaken. Many of the ornamental grasses available are native to North America and provide habitat, food sources, and protection for pollinators and other wildlife. Many grasses prefer full sun, some are invasive so look for clump forming varieties. The most popular ornamental grass, feather reed grass offers a distinct upright habit that looks fantastic all winter long. Hardiness is always an issue of concern in any ornamental plant for the landscape. Preferred Site: 1. If grown in a frost-free area, it is perennial and will return each year on its own. The most famous of the tall grasses is the pampas grass (Cordateria), unfortunately not hardy in Ontario. Commonly found along shorelines and ditches, these plants threaten ecosystems by forming dense stands that crowd out native species. This makes it much easier to cut it all at one time and get it more even. By using The Spruce, you accept our, Pennisetum Setaceum: A Grass for All Seasons, 12 Best Ornamental Grasses for Your Landscape, How to Grow and Care for Bristle Leaf Sedge (Carex Eburnea), How to Cut Back Ornamental Grasses in Spring or Fall, 8 Best Ornamental Grasses to Add Privacy to the Garden, 10 Best Ornamental Grasses for Containers, 13 Types of Colorful Ornamental Grass for Fall, 13 Colorful Fall Decorating Ideas for Porches, Patios, and Yards, Golden Japanese Forest Grass Plant Profile. Forestry consultant Rob Haubry gives you a few tips to help improve your native warm season grass plantings. These types of grasses spread by tillers and create a compact, clump-like growth. Ornamental Grasses Plants Frost Grass (Spodiopogon sibiricus) Frost grass brings a bamboo-like look to the garden with horizontal leaves, which take on purple to burgundy tints in fall. Chasmanthium latifolium, Northern Sea Oats, for example, is a clump forming North American native grass that produces a multitude of seeds, many of which germinate the following year. Some gardeners prefer to cut the grass below the rope, because the cuttings are easier to dispose of or put in the compost bin. Even if a grass becomes too large during the growing season, they can be pruned for shape. Many grasses are drought tolerant and thrive in warm to temperate regions, but there are also some, especially native species, that can survive such extreme temperat… Not every landscaping pro knows how to take care of everything in the garden, including grasses that can grow quite large—as in tall and wide. When temperatures cool in the fall they begin to grow again. Warm season grasses thrive in 85-95 degree heat. Some are described as clump forming, bunching, or tussock grasses. Use in masses or as specimens, along streams or on slopes. There is a rich variety of colored ornamental grasses including blue, purple and even black. Ontario Native Plants is an online plant retailer, dedicated to supplying native trees, shrub, grasses and perennials to Ontario gardeners. But some grasses and grassy look-alikes hail from shadier parts, and in the wild, they’re found along woodland streams, on cool mountainsides or on moody moors. Repeat throughout. ga('send', 'pageview'); Tolerates either sun or shade. How can you tell? Periodic grooming can turn your Pennisetum into a perennial. They look equally beautiful planted poolside, blowing in the breeze, in containers on patios, and as accent plants in other areas of the landscape. We are a family run business that has been producing and selling top quality seedlings to wholesale nurseries for over 50 years. Under control in a contained, fenced yard, it is less likely to be a threat to the local landscape. Once established, ornamental grasses require very little maintenance. For the same spectacular effect, we use Miscanthus varieties or plume grass ( Erianthus ravennae ) whose flowerheads can reach 12 to 15 feet tall. // ]]>, Clump forming, warm season, perennial grass, Blue green to silvery blue foliage with purplish flower spike. Learn tips for creating your most beautiful (and bountiful) garden ever. There are many drought tolerant grasses and a variety of native grasses. Clump forming. Otherwise, it's a real chore to clean up all of those blades and clumps of grass after you've done the pruning and grooming. Grows best in light shade and moist conditions. Soil type and available moisture? By removing all that dry, old growth that is basically a big mess of dead grass, new growth will actually be exposed to sunlight and fresh air. If you would like to print out this chart, we have it set up with individual pages, which makes for a more orderly printout. Growth slows or the plant enters a period of dormancy in the hot summer months. Follow these steps to groom your grasses and get them to looking great.Â. The best perennial ornamental grasses for shade and sun, towering tall ornamental grasses, variegated grasses... Ornamental grasses are low maintenance...perfect as deer resistant ground cover. Remove the clump from the ground leaving soil around the root ball. Chasmanthium latifolium (spangle grass) -- This green grass grows up to 1.2 metres tall and matures to a bright copper, but it is also chosen for its distinctive oatlike flowers. Grows best in well-drained fertile soil in full sun. Many gardeners hack ornamental grasses like Pennisetum setaceum into all sorts of curious configurations so that they resemble tumbleweeds. What? Gather dead or dry-looking canes in your hand and cut down toward the base. Native Plants in Claremont was opened in 2006. Full sun, well-drained soil, tolerant of considerable drought. Although Pennisetum setaceum's growing seasons are summer and fall, in some parts of the western United States where temperatures remain above 20 degrees, it can bloom and be a mainstay in the garden through the winter. Grasses This is a list of Grasses in order by the Common Name that is used for each species on this site. Parks, botanical gardens, and public places like hotels or nice restaurants often use gardeners and landscapers who treat pruning as an art form, and really know how to cut and groom sedges and flaxes. Clu… Andropogon gerardiiBig Blue Stem, Turkey FootDescription: Bouteloua curtipendulaSide Oats GrammaDescription: Carex muskingumensisPalm SedgeDescription: Deschampsia caespitosaTurted HairgrassDescription: Deschampsia flexuosaCrinkled HairgrassDescription: All images courtesy of Arlene Neilson, unless otherwise indicated. The Facebook group Crimes Against Horticulture offers eyewitness reports of bad plant-haircuts, including the one in this photo that members thought looked like haystacks, While a hard, ground-level cut works well with some species, others just need regular light pruning and shaping. Tap into your inner hairstylist as you lean over the fountain grass and comb or rake your gloved fingers through the middle of the clump, grabbing all loose and dead or dried-up hairs (blades/branches). You may end up with a good-sized pile of the dead stuff, which you should pitch into a portable container as you go along. For impromptu touch-ups, grab a bunch of grass blades in one hand, pull them out to the side, and cut with a pair of hand pruners. Andropogon gerardii Big Blue Stem, Turkey Foot Description: 1. Damp soils, shorelines and meadows from Alaska to Newfoundland to southern United States. Carex elata 'Aurea' -- Narrow, arching leaves, lemon-lime in colour, grow in thick tufts up to 60 centimetres tall. Check out your neighborhood or cruise nearby areas where similar-looking ornamental grasses grow. While it might be tempting to mow-down a mess like this, removal of the dry stuff and a good shaping is all that will be needed. Most have seedpods, flowerheads or plumes that dry well and last into winter. Greens and blues are common in the summer, followed by rich, autumnal colors in fall and winter. Current Plant List Some of our plants are listed here. This ornamental grass is native to New Zealand, where you will frequently find it growing wild on the beaches. Blue green to silvery blue foliage with purplish flower spike Native Habitat: 1. One of the many advantages of ornamental grasses are they extremely hardy and tolerant. ga('require', 'displayfeatures'); Dry soils, open prairies and shores from Saskatchewan to Quebec. If you don't cut or groom ornamental grasses in the fall, they can become shaggy messes by spring. Rainy winters make everything in the garden grow, and ornamental grasses are no exception. Jeff Bakker is a business initiatives director at RBC with an interest in environmental restoration and invasive species control.. Izabela van Amelsvoort is a Terrestrial Ecologist with North-South Environmental Inc. and is the current Secretary of Tallgrass Ontario. Cool season grasses can be divided in the fall, winter or early spring. They flower in late spring and summer. But in the world of ornamental grasses, fescues are considered low-growers and are often used as edgings, borders, and ground covers. For larger clumps that might have deeper roots, use a spade and some muscle to divide. In a garden setting these grasses are often preferred as the plants remain contained within their planting area. They grow best at temperatures between 26 and 32 degrees Celsius. Most native grasses, however, will do well in a variety of soils and require little watering. Groomed and pruned carefully and not chopped down to obscurity, these ornamental grasses are beautifully formed. In mild climates, moderate, frost-free temperatures allow fountain grass to grow throughout the year. We have sandy-loam soil, our summers are hot and dry and we irrigate to mimic the ideal growing conditions. Full sun, well-drained soil, tolerant of considerable drought. 7 Dwarf ornamental grasses for container gardening. Dry soils, open prairies and shores from Saskatchewan to Quebec. It is a hardy grass that handles harsh conditions and offers columns of texture and color to the garden in blue/green and purple/burgundy. Unlike rose bushes or boxwood hedges, there's not really a tried-and-true method for pruning or grooming ornamental grasses. Welcome to the Ontario Grasses, Sedges & Rushes website Your "online field guide" to Ontario's grasses, sedges and rushes: This website is all about grasses, sedges & rushes that grow in Ontario (Canada). Their graceful habit, animated movement, and fine textured foliage have proven them a worthy addition to our gardens. All Rights Reserved. As the plant ages it may flop or die in the center. The grass clump will be overgrown, possibly encroaching on neighboring plants or creeping out beyond the border or edge. Some grasses do well in the shade but may not reach their full potential the same way they would in the sunlight. ~ By Shaun Booth | Dec 3, 2020 ~ Native grasses are crucial components of healthy gardens yet are often overlooked in favor of more showy flowers. Putting feather grass in pots allows you to keep in eye on them and give regular trims. Dormant foliage and seed heads of warm season grasses persist providing winter interest and food for birds. Japanese Sweet Flag. Cool season grasses may require more water to stay green in a hot summer and warm season grasses will go dormant and turn golden brown in areas with a cold winter. From our Ontario-based nursery, we will ship anywhere across the province. In some regions, Nassella tenuissima is considered invasive and is classified as a weed. Screens, erosion control, specimen, masses, winter interest, arrangements. A second way to classify grasses is by their habit. Ornamental grasses for zone 5 must withstand temperatures that can dip down to -10 degrees Fahrenheit (-23 C.) along with the ice and snow that are attendant to this regions winters. You can also grab a bunch of grass in your hand and cut above or below. Comb through the entire grass, and shake it occasionally to get out more dried plant material. Cut the foliage back to a height of 10 centimetres. Start by gathering the grass together with your gloved hands and securing it with string, rope, or a bungee. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series, The Spruce Gardening & Plant Care Review Board, The Spruce Renovations and Repair Review Board, cut grasses down to a few inches above ground, Long sleeves or Armadillos—sleeves made of heavy-duty canvas over duck canvas to protect arms. Despite this drawback, Northern Sea Oats is known for it's unique seed heads. Ontario Native Plants was born out of the desire to provide the public with the same high-quality… Drought tolerant and adaptable to a wide range of conditions. Nice, healthy and how it's supposed to look— ornamental. This info is derived from growing the grasses in our Zone 4/5 nursery. Perhaps the most important maintenance technique is cutting back the grass to a height of 10 centimetres. Clump forming, cool season, perennial grass 0.3 - 1.0 meters tall. House Landscape Fall Landscape Cottage Garden Plants Low Maintenance Plants Ornamental Grasses Drought Tolerant Native Plants Native Gardens Ontario Sporobolus heterolepis - Prairie Dropseed It is drought tolerant and has good fall colour. Clump forming, cool season, perennial grass 0.3 - 0.6 meters tall. Use a saw, spade or shovel and divide into smaller clumps. Moist conditions are required. Bouteloua curtipendula Side Oats Gramma Description: 1. Some, like this Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima), are simple—just use a trowel to dig up a portion of the grass, roots and all. Clump forming, warm season, perennial grass 2. Running grasses may become invasive through their ability to form dense mats quickly. In regions experiencing drought, native and ornamental grasses are a smart and show-stopping part of the landscape. Equally important and vital to growing native grasses is the fact that less than one per cent of original Ontario tall grass prairie exists today. Written for all of Ontario, north to south, east to west. © 2020 Canadian Wildlife Federation. What you'll need:​. Acorus calamus ‘Variegatus’ Acorus gramineus ‘Oborozuki’ Acorus gramineus ‘Ogon’ Acorus gramineus ‘Variegatus’ Andropogon gerardii; Anthoxanthum nitens; Arrhenatherum elatius bulbosum ‘variegatum’ Bouteloua curtipendula; Bouteloua gracilis; Calamagrostis acutiflora ‘Avalanche’ Calamagrostis acutiflora ‘Eldorado’ Adjust the rope or cord higher or lower, depending on where you want to cut the grass. Ornamental Grass to Avoid There are many grasses that originate from Eurasia that are now becoming invasive in Ontario. Ontario Flowers, Ferns, Grasses, Shrubs, Trees May 3, 2018 ONTARIO’S NATIVE PLANT CATALOGUE No Nonsense - Plain Language - Go Shopping Choose the right plant, stick it in the ground, water it, then sit back, relax, and attract birds, bees and butterflies. Grasses are often described as either warm or cool season. (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){ One way to control its spread is to cut the grass to 10 centimetres in height soon after the seeds appear. The graceful, arching foliage of grasses display rich colors over a long season. Size: To 6 … 5. Ornamental Grass Care – Cutting Back In The Winter. These characteristics do not refer to the hardiness of the plant but to their season(s) of growth. To thin-out the grass, grab small sections in the middle and cut toward the base, at different heights. Three new people have joined the Tallgrass Ontario Board of Directors. Lisa Hallett Taylor is a writer and editor with 12+ years experience covering architecture, landscape design, and do-it-yourself projects. Try to leave some height in the middle, then gradually shape a bit lower on the sides.Â. When we think of ornamental grasses, visions of sun-kissed meadows and sky-blue prairies come to mind. 1. However, the ornamental value of our own native grasses has yet to be discovered. The Spruce uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. They produce flowers during the summer months and go dormant in the fall. After a few years, ornamental grasses will need to be divided at their base. Charitable registration # 10686 8755 RR0001, //