Grasses: 30 Special Features and Uses

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AFNR Horticultural Science Grasses: 30 Special Features and Uses Mary Hockenberry Meyer,

WILDLIFE Larval food for native butterflies: lake sedge, Carex lacustris tussock sedge, Carex

songbirds and wild turkeys love: blue fescue, Festuca Elijah Blue Cover for wildlife: lake

1 AFNR Horticultural Science Grasses: 30 Special Features and Uses Mary Hockenberry Meyer, Extension Horticulturist and Professor, and Diane Narem, Horticultural Researcher GRASSES FOR WILDLIFE Larval food for native butterflies: lake sedge, Carex lacustris tussock sedge, Carex stricta Indiangrass, Sorghastrum nutans blue grama skipper butterfly on ribbon grass Seeds songbirds and wild turkeys love: blue fescue, Festuca Elijah Blue Cover for wildlife: lake sedge, Carex lacustris tussock sedge, Carex stricta Indiangrass, Sorghastrum nutans sparrow nest in native grass

COLORFUL GRASSES Fall Color fall blooming reedgrass, Calamagrostis brachytricha red flame miscanthus, Miscanthus

arundinacea Cordoba, Skyracer, Transparent, Windspiel Prairie Fire Blue Heaven prairie cordgrass, Spartina pectinata

Foliage feather reedgrass, Calamagrosits xacutiflora Art s Gold, El Dorado Bowles s Golden sedge, Carex elata Aurea

millet, Millium effusum Aureum variegated moorgrass, Molinia caerulea Variegata Blue Foliage Lord Snowden blue

2 COLORFUL GRASSES Fall Color fall blooming reedgrass, Calamagrostis brachytricha red flame miscanthus, Miscanthus Purpurescens tall moorgrass, Molinia caerulea subsp. arundinacea Cordoba, Skyracer, Transparent, Windspiel Prairie Fire Blue Heaven prairie cordgrass, Spartina pectinata yellow hakone grass in the midst of red flowers Fall color Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Grass Collection Yellow Foliage feather reedgrass, Calamagrosits xacutiflora Art s Gold, El Dorado Bowles s Golden sedge, Carex elata Aurea broad-leafed sedge, Carex siderosticha Banana Boat hakone grass, Hakonechloa macra Aurea, All Gold golden wood millet, Millium effusum Aureum variegated moorgrass, Molinia caerulea Variegata Blue Foliage Lord Snowden blue fescue, Festuca Beyond Blue, Cool as Ice, blue oat grass, Helictotrichon sempervirens blue lymegrass, Leymus arenarius switchgrass, Panicum amarum Dewey Blue Cool as Ice blue fescue Bowles s golden sedge 2

Purple foliage Blackhawks, Red October Hot Rod, Ruby Ribbons, Prairie Fire, Cheyenne Sky, Shenandoah purple millet,

Prince, Princess, Princess Caroline, Princess Molly, Purple Majesty, Vertigo (annuals) Smoke Signal Switchgrass

sinensis Silver Feather, Purpurescens tall moorgrass, Molinia caerulea subsp.

foliage feather reedgrass, Calamagrosits x acutiflora Overdam and Avalanche Japanese sedge, Carex Ice Dance striped

3 Purple foliage Blackhawks, Red October Hot Rod, Ruby Ribbons, Prairie Fire, Cheyenne Sky, Shenandoah purple millet, Pennisetum spp. Prince, Princess, Princess Caroline, Princess Molly, Purple Majesty, Vertigo (annuals) Smoke Signal Switchgrass Prairie Fire Lord Snowden left and Red October right, big bluestem Winter Interest Japanese silvergrass, Miscanthus sinensis Silver Feather, Purpurescens tall moorgrass, Molinia caerulea subsp. arundinacea Cordoba, Skyracer, Transparent, Windspiel Cheyenne Sky, Northwind, Prairie Fire, Thundercloud Striped foliage feather reedgrass, Calamagrosits x acutiflora Overdam and Avalanche Japanese sedge, Carex Ice Dance striped sedge, Carex Silver Scepter broadleaf sedge, Carex siderosticha Variegata hakone grass, Hakonechloa macra Albo-striata Japanese silvergrass, Miscanthus sinensis Rigoletto, Silberfeil, Variegatus broad-leafed sedge, right; palm sedge left switchgrass in the winter 3

GRASSES FOR SPECIFIC SITES Front of border Bowles golden sedge, Carex elata Aurea Bunny Blue sedge, Carex laxiculmis Bunny Blue Oehme Oehme broadleaf sedge, Carex siderosticha Variegata blue fescue,

Cool as Ice, blue oatgrass, Helictotrichon semperviren hakone grass Containers feather reedgrass, Calamagrostis acutiflora 'Avalanche', 'Overdam' Banana Boat sedge, Carex siderosticha Banana Boat

Helictotrichon sempervirens Japanese silvergrass, Miscanthus sinensis 'Variegatus' purple fountaingrass, Pennisteum advena Cherry Sparkler, Fireworks, Sky Rocket purple millet, Pennisetum hybrids

4 GRASSES FOR SPECIFIC SITES Front of border Bowles golden sedge, Carex elata Aurea Bunny Blue sedge, Carex laxiculmis Bunny Blue Oehme Oehme broadleaf sedge, Carex siderosticha Variegata blue fescue, Festuca Beyond Blue, Cool as Ice, hakone grass, Hakonechloa macra Aurea variegated moorgrass, Molinia caerulea Variegata Tara Skyrocket Pennisetum Dry soil blue fescue, Festuca glauca Beyond Blue, Cool as Ice, blue oatgrass, Helictotrichon semperviren hakone grass Containers feather reedgrass, Calamagrostis acutiflora 'Avalanche', 'Overdam' Banana Boat sedge, Carex siderosticha Banana Boat sedges, Carex Red Rooster, Toffee Twist (annuals) 'Little Midge,'Oehme' blue fescue, Festuca glauca Beyond Blue, Cool as Ice, hakone grass, Hakonechloa macra and cultivars blue oatgrass, Helictotrichon sempervirens Japanese silvergrass, Miscanthus sinensis 'Variegatus' purple fountaingrass, Pennisteum advena Cherry Sparkler, Fireworks, Sky Rocket purple millet, Pennisetum hybrids Prince, Princess Caroline, Princess Molly, Purple Majesty, Vertigo (annuals) oriental fountaingrass, Pennisteum orientale Mexican needle grass, Nassella tenuissima Heavy clay soil blue lymegrass, Leymus arenarius Blue Dunes Indian grass 4

Wet sites lake sedge, Carex lacustris American mannagrass, Glyceria grandis prairie cordgrass, Spartina pectinata Lakeshores, can tolerate

Carex lacustris tussock sedge, Carex stricta American mannagrass, Glyceria grandis prairie cordgrass, Spartina pectinata Salt tolerant river oats

5 Wet sites lake sedge, Carex lacustris American mannagrass, Glyceria grandis prairie cordgrass, Spartina pectinata Lakeshores, can tolerate changes in water level and standing water bluejoint, Calamagrostis canadensis bottlebrush sedge, Carex comosa mace sedge, Carex grayi lake sedge, Carex lacustris tussock sedge, Carex stricta American mannagrass, Glyceria grandis prairie cordgrass, Spartina pectinata Salt tolerant river oats Alkaline Soils plains oval sedge, Carex brevior Light shade porcupine sedge, Carex hystericina tufted hairgrass, Deschampsia caespitosa eastern bottlebrush, Elymus hystrix var. hystrix hakone grass, Hakonechloa macra & cultivars woodrush, Luzula species golden wood millet, Milium effusum Aureum bottlebrush grass bluejoint Heavy shade long-stalked sedge, Carex pedunculata tufted hairgrass, Deschampsia caespitosa woodrush, Luzula sylvatica 5

Ground cover eastern star sedge, Carex radiata black-flowered sedge, Carex nigra Variegata blue

Hierochloe odorata tufted harigrass Dry shade: under maple, box elder or spruce trees Eastern star

Helictotrichon sempervirens Pennsylvania sedge Berms: septic and more plains oval sedge, Carex brevior

sempervirens Pennsylvania sedge Slopes/steep banks, these grasses have creeping rhizomes black

6 Ground cover eastern star sedge, Carex radiata black-flowered sedge, Carex nigra Variegata blue fescue, Festuca Beyond Blue, Cool as Ice, 'Elijah Blue' hakone grass, Hakonechloa macra sweet grass, Hierochloe odorata tufted harigrass Dry shade: under maple, box elder or spruce trees Eastern star sedge, Carex radiata blue fescue, Festuca glauca Beyond Blue, Cool as Ice, blue oatgrass, Helictotrichon sempervirens Pennsylvania sedge Berms: septic and more plains oval sedge, Carex brevior blue fescue, Festuca Beyond Blue, Cool as Ice, 'Elijah Blue' blue oatgrass, Helictotrichon sempervirens Pennsylvania sedge Slopes/steep banks, these grasses have creeping rhizomes black flowered sedge, Carex nigra Variegata blue lymegrass, Leymus arenarius ribbon grass, Phalaris arundinacea Strawberries and Cream carnation sedge 6

Screen or hedge 3-4 feet tall feather reedgrass, Calamagrostis x acutiflora Overdam fall blooming reedgrass, Calamagrostis brachytricha

Miscanthus sinensis Klein Fontaene Badlands, Shenandoah silver spikegrass, Spodiopogon sibiricus Moorhexe purple moorgrass 5-7 feet tall

See-through screen or hedge, 5-7 feet tall moorgrass, Molinia caerulea subsp.

7 Screen or hedge 3-4 feet tall feather reedgrass, Calamagrostis x acutiflora Overdam fall blooming reedgrass, Calamagrostis brachytricha purple moorgrass, Molinia caerulea 'Moorhexe' Cape Breeze, Cheyenne Sky, Prairie Fire Blue Heaven 5 feet tall Japanese silvergrass, Miscanthus sinensis Klein Fontaene Badlands, Shenandoah silver spikegrass, Spodiopogon sibiricus Moorhexe purple moorgrass 5-7 feet tall Japanese silvergrass, Miscanthus sinensis Blondo, Silver Feather, 'Strictus', 'Zebrinus Cloud 9, Northwind, Thundercloud Sioux Blue See-through screen or hedge, 5-7 feet tall moorgrass, Molinia caerulea subsp. arundinacea Cordoba, Skyracer, Transparent, Windspiel Windbreaks Indian Warrior, Red October Badlands, Northwind, Thundercloud, Shenandoah silver spikegrass, Spodiopogon sibiricus Skyracer tall moorgrass silver spikegrass 7

GRASSES WITH SPECIAL FEATURES Hardy in USDA Zone 3 feather reedgrass, Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' & Overdam fall blooming reedgrass, Calamagrostis brachytricha tufted hairgrass,

variegated purple moorgrass, Molinia caerulea 'Variegata tall moorgrass, Molinia caerulea subsp.

8 GRASSES WITH SPECIAL FEATURES Hardy in USDA Zone 3 feather reedgrass, Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' & Overdam fall blooming reedgrass, Calamagrostis brachytricha tufted hairgrass, Deschampsia caespitosa fescue, Festuca glauca blue oatgrass, Helictotrichon sempervirens red flame miscanthus, Miscanthus 'Purpurascens' Japanese silvergrass, Miscanthus sinensis 'Silberfeder' variegated purple moorgrass, Molinia caerulea 'Variegata tall moorgrass, Molinia caerulea subsp. arundinacea 'Windspiel' silver spikegrass, Spodiopogon sibiricus Self-seeding grasses mace sedge, Carex grayi porcupine sedge, Carex hystericina long-beaked sedge, Carex sprengelii love grass, Eragrostis curvula 'Wind Dancer' blue fescue, Festuca species Siberian melic grass, Melica altissima var. atropurpurea Japanese silvergrass, Miscanthus sinensis cultivars *two or more cultivars grown together crosspollinate and set seed; plant only where you can monitor seedlings; Miscanthus is considered an invasive plant in eastern and mid-atlantic states. * tall purple moorgrass, Molinia caerulea ssp. arundinacea Mexican feathergrass, Nassella tenuissima (annual) panic grass, Panicum 'Frosted Explosion' (annual) fountaingrass, Pennisetum alopecuroides Crookston, Minnesota grass evaluations Grasses with rhizomes to bind lakeshores or cover tough sites bluejoint, Calamagrostis canadensis American mannagrass, Glyceria grandis sweet grass, Hierochloe odorata blue lymegrass, Leymus arenarius prairie cordgrass, Spartina pectinata mace sedge For more information about grasses and sedges see: and , Regents of the University of Minnesota. University of Minnesota Extension is an equal opportunity educator and employer. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, this publication/material is available in alternative formats upon request. Direct requests to or afnr@umn.edu. Printed on recycled and recyclable paper with at least 10 percent postconsumer waste material. 8

Carex SEDGES Sedges are grass-like plants that typically grow in shallow water or moist soil. They have rhizomes and triangular stems.

Carex SEDGES Sedges are grass-like plants that typically grow in shallow water or moist soil. They have rhizomes and triangular stems. Avalanche Eldorado Calamagrostis FEATHER REED GRASS A group of mainly cool season grasses that grow most vigorously in cooler months. They plume earlier than other grasses. x acutiflora Avalanche Wide