Ornamental Grasses for the Midwest Arranged by Common Name.
Common Name |
Scientific Name |
Map# |
Height |
Hardiness |
| Adagio Dwarf Maiden Grass | Miscanthus sinensis 'Adagio' | 34 | 5 ft | Zone 6 |
| 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 | 12" | Zone 4 |
| Blue Dune Lyme Grass | Leymus arenarius 'Blue Dune' | 28 | 3-4 ft | hardy |
| Blue Grama | Bouteloua gracilis | 4 | 8-15" | Zone 3 |
| Blue Lovegrass | Eragrostis elliotii | 19 | 18" | Zone 5-9 |
| Blue Sedge | Carex glauca | 14 | 6-12" | Zone 5 |
| 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 |
| Capriccio Stipa | Stipa lessingiana | 67 | 1-2 ft | Zone 6 |
| Clustered Fescue | Festuca paradoxa | 22 | 2-4 ft | hardy |
| Dallas Blues Switch Grass | Panicum virgatum 'Dallas Blues' | 48 | 6 ft | Zone 4 |
| Dwarf Fountain Grass | Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln' | 52 | 1.5-2.5 ft | Zone 5-9 |
| 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' | Zone 5 |
| Fescue | Festuca cinerea 'Dwarf' | 20 | 10" | Zone 4 |
| Fescue | Festuca glauca 'Elija's Blue' | 21 | 6-10" | Zone 4 |
| Flame Grass | Miscanthus 'Purpurescens' | 39 | 4-5 ft | Zone 4 |
| Foerster's Feather Reed Grass | Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' | 8 | 3-5 ft | Zone 5-9 |
| Fountain Grass | Pennisetum alopercuroides | 51 | 3-5' | Zone 8-11 |
| Fox Red Curly Sedge | Carex buchananii | 11 | 2-3 ft | Zone 5 |
| Giant Chinese Silver Grass | Miscanthus floridulus 'Giganteus' | 32 | 8-15' | Zone 4-9 |
| Golden Variegated Hakone Grass | Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' | 23 | 1-3 ft | Zone 4 |
| Grasshopper Sedge | Carex sp. 'Grasshopper' | 10 | 12-16" | Zone 5 |
| 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 | Erianthus ravennae / Saccharum ravennae | 59 | 14 ft | Zone 6 |
| Indian Grass | Sorghastrum nutans | 64 | 5-8 ft | Zone 3 |
| Juncus Blue Arrows | Juncus inflexus | 25 | 3 ft | Zone 5-9 |
| Juncus Javelin | Juncus pallidus | 26 | 5 ft | hardy |
| Junegrass | Koeleria cristata | 27 | 2-6" | Zone 3-9 |
| Little Bluestem | Schizachyrium scoparium | 60 | 3 ft | Zone 3 |
| Little Dot Maiden Grass | Miscanthus sinensis 'Little Dot' | 33 | 4-5' | Zone 6 |
| Little Kitten Dwarf Maiden Grass | Miscanthus sinensis 'Little Kitten' | 36 | 4 ft | Zone 5 |
| Lovegrass | Eragrostis elliotii 'Wind Dancer' | 18 | 2-3 ft | Zone 6 |
| 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 |
| Morning Light Maiden Grass | Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light' | 38 | 7 ft | Zone 5 |
| National Arboretum Fountain Grass | Pennisetum alopecuroides 'National Arboretum' | 54 | 2 ft | Zone 6 |
| Oehme Palm Sedge | Carex muskingumensis 'Oehme' | 16 | 2 ft | Zone 4 |
| Oriental Fountain Grass | Pennisetum orientale 'Karley Rose' | 55 | 4 ft | Zone 6 |
| Overdam Feather Reed Grass | Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Overdam' | 9 | 3-5 ft | Zone 4 |
| Palm Sedge | Carex muskingumensis | 17 | 2 ft | Zone 4 |
| Pink Crystals Ruby Grass (Annual) | Melinis nerviglumis 'Savannah' | 31 | 12 - 24" | Zone 9 |
| Porcupine Grass | Miscanthus sinensis 'Strictus' | 43 | 4-9 ft | Zone 5-9 |
| Prairie Dropseed | Sporobolus heterolepsis | 66 | 12-36" | Zone 3 |
| Prairie Sky Switch Grass | Panicum virgatum 'Prairie Sky' | 49 | 5 ft | Zone 5 |
| Princess Napiergrass | Pennisetum purpureum 'Princess' | 56 | 2-3' | 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 |
| Rough Dropseed | Sporobolus aspera | 65 | 3' | Zone 5 |
| Shenandoah Red Switch Grass | Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah' | 50 | 4 ft | Zone 5 |
| 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 |
| Switch Grass | Panicum virgatum | 47 | 4-8 ft | Zone 4 |
| The Blues Little Bluestem | Schizachyrium scoparium 'The Blues' | 61 | 3 ft | Zone 3 |
| Variegated Giant Reed | Arundo donax variegata | 2 | 14 ft | Zone 6 |
| Variegated Maiden Grass | Miscanthus sinensis 'Variegatus' | 44 | 7 ft | Zone 5 |
| Wood Rush | Luzula 'Ruby Stiletto' | 29 | 8-12" | hardy |
| Yaku Jima Dwarf Maiden Grass | Miscanthus sinensis 'Yaku Jima' | 45 | 3-4 ft | Zone 5 |
