The only ones out of your bunch Shauna that I have tried are...

Schizachyrium scoparium Little Blue Stem, no luck with WS'ing and had only a few seeds germinate indoors, keep at 20C in moist soil, not wet, do not cover but tightly press, keep at cooler conditions after germination. According to my records last year I started them on Feb 15th, germ Feb 21st. Now I'm hoping they'll make the winter ;)

Stipa tenuissima Pony Tails, annual, very nice ornamental grass for containers, aka Mexican Feather Grass. You should start those indoors right away too ;)

Sharon

I dunno about the Cyperus glaber - likely an annual here, unless someone knows differently? "Umbrella sedges" are, generally, wetland grasses from the subtropics and tropics, according to Darke.

The Bluestem site claims Carex grayi to be hardy in zone 2, a native grass of E. North America - haven't tried it.

Haven't run across Carex tenuiculmis either - Darke says zone 7. However, Darke also says zone 6 for C. testacea and zone 7 for C. flagellifera, both of which I find survive some winters here...though I wouldn't absolutely count on them.

Little blue stem is hardy here and should likely be hardy for most of us - it's a native grassland species, with a huge distribution through much of North America...

Of those you listed, I've only had experience with Little Blue Stem which is generally listed as Schizachyrum scoparium and Stipa tenuissima, aka Nasella tenuissima or Mexican Feather Grass.

My attempt at Little Bluestem failed, or rather the seed grown plants did not winter for me (what's up with that??) Honestly, I don't know what happened but I can't believe winter killed them when many other less hardy plants lived thru it just fine.

I really like Stipa tenuissima and grew large pots of them last year. They're native to Mexico so they like the heat and kept on the drier side. Too much water and fertilizer and they'll just flop over. I prefer these as mass plantings or alone in containers but I've also seen them used in mixed plantings. For seeding, best to have several seeds in one pot - for 3" pots that will eventually be transplanted, I'd go about 12-15 seeds spaced within the pot. At the end of the season I let them dry out and turn golden, and leave them as fall/winter pots. If planted in the garden I'd do the same thing - leave them for winter interest. I've also cut the stems at the end of the season after they've coloured and used them as decor in a metal hanging wall pocket - they keep that feathery effect quite well. (Sorry, hard for me to talk about grasses without mentioning the dried benefit of them, LOL).

I saw, almost bought, a dwarfed bronze curled carex last year which I suspect the Bronzina will be. It was interesting but might be difficult to appreciate the look of brown grass.

If I was going to try to convert someone in a cold zone to plant ornamental grass, the first I'd choose would be Calamagrostis Karl Foerster, Feather Reed Grass. Second would be Helictotrichon sempervirens, Blue Oat Grass. Third would be Deschampsia caespitosa Schottland.

My appreciation for OGs grows every year, and I'm looking forward to seeing them again perhaps even more than some of the flowers I grow (well, not including peonies or lilies). I like their ease, the way they wave in the wind, the blooms and fall colours, and winter interest. Really, I'm quite smitten with them and can't understand how others don't care for them but to each his own. My neighbor, a great gardener, has little interest in OGs but plants a gazillion annuals every year and can appreciate these little diminutive blooms that to me are just little diminutive blooms with little appeal. I love this difference in gardening tastes and variations.

I'm still deciding on what to order from Bluestem this year (bluestem.ca, for anyone interested). I'm sure there will be some Miscanthus and Panicums on the list to see if they'll live here. So far I've had some luck with these.

Good luck, Shauna - we grass nuts will convert you yet!

Well, maybe I should clarify, lest I leave anyone with the wrong impression... there are native Cyperus species too, apparently, but C. glaber is a European species that might have to be wintered indoors with the tropical/semi-tropical pond plants...
It's sold at the attached site, where they call it a "tender perennial".

Here is a link that might be useful: Northern Oasis

Interesting question, Shauna.

I'm trying another McKenzie grass, Pink Pampas Grass (Cortaderia selloana) for the first time this year. Seeded 6 one week ago, and so far have 4 thin, thin sprouts.

This one caught my attention because (or so the package says), the grass is scented in addition to being showy.

My only previous grass experience was with ornamental purple millet last year--it came up rapidly, but seemed to stall once I got it outside into containers. I gather our weather may have been a bit damp and cold for it.

Any advice or comments?

Looking forward to these soft pink plumes this year!

Ooooh, pampas grass... another really tempting grass that unfortunately has little chance of overwintering here...but potentially an attractive annual...if it gets enough heat and a long enough season to flower. Kind of hard to achieve the fabulous specimens you see in warmer zones, though, in one year, or without managing to winter it indoors. It may be overall much more rewarding to splurge on a one-gallon at the garden center - then, if it gets enough heat, it may put on a good show for you within that season.

However, the grasses that Pudge suggested are EXCELLENT choices (and there are others), that are hardy and will form great specimens in a short number of years!

Thanks, everyone for all of the fantastic input on all of these. Sounds like, overall, these are not w/s candidates, which I thought they would be. But, I'd better get them started inside pronto.

They are all listed as perennials, but only Schizachyrium and Carex grayi are listed as z4 and z3, respectively, from the research I did. The others are z7 or more but I will treat all of them as annuals unless I can bring the pots in for the winter.

Maybe this is my expansion year into the world of OG's and I may be a true convert by next year. lol Look what happened to me last year! Now I'm outta control.

Shauna

Yes, biologically, they are all perennials...just not necessarily here, LOL! (Another example, albeit mild, of zone rating inaccuracy with "z4" for little blue stem.)

Oh Shauna, I saw those packs too. I almost bought one, but it didn't give much information on the pack, so I didn't. I was looking for bunny tails or something like that....but couldn't find any in single packs. There really isn't much choice on the seed racks or OG's. I know I should have ordered some but I didn't think of it before I sent my orders. LOL....

Anyway hope you post pics once its growing and blooming....
Sierra

Pudge, I'm a convert!!! I tried Andropogon gerardi (Big Bluestem) and Sortgastrum nutans (Indian Grass)last year from the Bedrock Seed Bank (it's local Shauna) but didn't have too much luck. I'll have to see if my wee Indian Grass plant comes back. I'm about to try again. I got a book on grasses from the library and definitely want to try the Karl Foerster. Going to recommend it to one of my clients. I'm going to have to stop and take a big breather and actually draw out my own garden here before I end up going all higgeldy piggeldly???? which is the branch of garden design that one of my friends swears by - and she's got a great garden!
Kate

Anyone have any luck growing Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus' Zebra Grass?
hmmm, or just wishful thinking?

Sharon

Here is a link that might be useful: Zebra Grass

I planted one fairly late in the summer last year, so we'll see... but since I have yet to be able to winter over any of the plainer varieties of M. sinensis (at least past earliest spring anyway), I'm not getting my hopes up!

Oh bummer! Let us know this spring how if it makes it Lori.

Last spring I planted a Miscanthus sinensis var. purpurascens Flame Grass, crossing my fingers that it will make it too!

Sharon

Anyone ever grow Chasmanthium latifolium Northern Sea Oats in the garden?

Pudge, have you? When would be a good time to start these indoors?

Sharon

I've tried it twice, Sharon. The first was a batch of plugs from Bluestem, planted them in a sheltered, moist spot with morning/early afternoon sun (east side of deck). They grew, bloomed and were very nice plants going into winter. None made it, though, and there was sufficient snow cover all that winter. Last year I grew more from seed and have them planted on the far end of the rock garden where they get some afternoon shade. Again, they have good snow cover - I'm hoping that the previous location was too wet, and this area has better drainage. I'll let you know in spring if they make it or not. And yes, I'd start them now - as I recall they took a long time to germinate and don't grow by leaps and bounds once they do germinate.

I've never had northern sea oats do well, or I believe, winter over - or at least not vigorously, at any rate. I've always thought it was too dry for them...but who knows?

Are there any hardy BIG grasses? I have an area next to the house that is subject to roof avalanches, so shrubs and bushes would suffer, but the space needs plants with some height and visual oomph. When I lived in the lower 48, I loved the big pampas grasses, but I know they don't survive here.

Sure. The feather reed grasses (Calamagrostis) are tall, vertically-oriented plants. Korean feather reed grass (C. brachytricha) and C. epigejos are tall and clumping. Of course, there are also the various cultivars of C. x acutiflora, such as 'Karl Forster', 'Overdam' (variegated), etc. which have the same shape. As does the big bluestem previously discussed.
Blue oat grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens) forms a big, hemispherical shape, about 4' tall and across when in flower.
Some hardy ones for starters, anyway...

Thank you! I'll check those out.

Shauna, how did your grasses turn out?

I had tried the same 'collection' last year. The one that survived (which surprised me) was the Carex tenuiculmis Bronzina. Looked rather dead this spring but while doing some fall maintainance I noticed that it had grown considerably (there is a benefit to being a lazy gardener - lol)! Nice surprise, I think it would look really nice planted in large bunches.

Also noticed a few Stipa tenuissima Pony tails had self seeded from last year, although they were very late coming. Love that little plant! It looks so nice after a rain with the drops clinging to the leaves.

GC, Shauna's gone to Vancouver for a few days - over the weekend at least - so she might not answer for awhile. She's not ignoring you! :)

We plant all types of less-than-hardy grasses in containers and overwinter them by burying them about six inches below the top of the pot and then mulching with 2 feet (yes a full two feet) of leaves. All come through fine. The key to good grass growth is to give the roots lots of room to grow. The bigger the space the better.

WOW Greenstar- thanks for that tip!
I had not thought of burying below soil level! I know I will be buying some lovingly looked at grasses now! I saw a carex called "Red Rooster' that had the most delightful little curly tips today- and held a pot of northern lights again before I sighed and set it back down remembering past failures.....
I may have to take another trip to the garden center......
Last winter was a bad winter for other NSO growers here in MPLS area of MN as well. Mine did OK- and all 3 planting sights they came through their first winter ok- but were very late to show- and are only about 18" high. I sure would like to find a spot where they are really happy- I can only imagine how lovely that would look......

Thanks, Marcia, for giving the heads up on my absence. We got home late last night and I was pretty tuckered. I didn't see this until this morning - certainly no ignoring allowed on this forum. LOL

My grasses were a bit of a bust, I'm afraid. I also had Carex tenuiculmis Bronzina and Stipa tenuissima Pony tails survive but I didn't get the others to germinate well enough to get going. I used Pony Tails in a pot and it looked quite nice. I'll do it into a bigger pot next year, I think and it will be spectacular. Bronzina is planted and seemed to be taking off. Now, we'll wait and see what happens over the winter.

I didn't have really good success this spring with a few others, either. My 'Wind Dancer' came up so nicely and then petered right out before it could establish. And even 'Purple Majesty' millet didn't do much. I'll be trying again next year. -sigh-

Shauna

Hi - one of my prettiest pots this year was a low, wide terracotta dish planted with three plants of bunnytail grass (Lagurus ovatus) underplanted with a neon mix of portulaca. It looked good even when I missed an occasional watering...

I have overwintered a few large potted grasses by just lugging the pots into the garage where they probably stayed just above freezing and got minimal light. I "watered" by throwing an occasinal handful of snow on them - probably once a month. Hope it works for this year's trial of pink pampas grass! No, it didn't bloom, but it grew to about 3-4 feet and very graceful.

I am growing Festuca valeriaca from seed this year(from Gardens North). Hoping to get something smaller than F. ovina. So far, so good. Leaves are very stiff, the blueness varies. Also growing for the first time Hystrix patula (or whatever the correct Latin is now)- Bottlebrush grass.

Re the comment on bunny grass above. This is also one of our favorites but we have not had consistent results. We haven't yet unlocked the key as to why it is a hit one year and a bust the next. So far the score is 2 to 2 and next season will be the tie breaker.