10 Ornamental Grasses to Plant This Fall
Add interest to your garden with these popular warm-season and cool-season varieties
Prized for their featherlike textures, billowing silhouettes and delicate seed heads, ornamental grasses can be stars of autumn gardens. We’ve taken a bit of liberty with the term “grasses” here. Botanically speaking, a true grass falls under the Poaceae family and includes cereal grains, prairie and pasture grasses, grasses we typically plant as turf and even bamboos. They all share a handful of distinguishing characteristics, such as hollow stems interspersed with solid nodes for structural support.
For garden design, we casually group all grasslike plants along with the official grasses since they are largely used for the same function in the garden. Here, we’ve rounded up some of the most useful grasses, fescues and sedges, all with particularly beautiful forms, colors and textures in the garden.
For garden design, we casually group all grasslike plants along with the official grasses since they are largely used for the same function in the garden. Here, we’ve rounded up some of the most useful grasses, fescues and sedges, all with particularly beautiful forms, colors and textures in the garden.
Warm-season versus cool-season grasses. Horticulturists will further categorize grasses into “warm-season grasses” and “cool-season grasses,” depending on their growth cycle.
Cool-season grasses (such as Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’, fescues and Nassela spp.) begin their growth in early spring, come into their own in early summer and slow their growth, brown-out or set seeds once temperatures climb in midsummer.
Warm-season grasses (such as Hakonechloa spp., Muhlenbergia spp. and Pennisetum spp.) usually take a year or two to grow slowly and put their effort into root systems. Once established, they often stay fairly small throughout spring and summer with a good show by mid-to-late summer that lasts well into fall.
Cool-season grasses (such as Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’, fescues and Nassela spp.) begin their growth in early spring, come into their own in early summer and slow their growth, brown-out or set seeds once temperatures climb in midsummer.
Warm-season grasses (such as Hakonechloa spp., Muhlenbergia spp. and Pennisetum spp.) usually take a year or two to grow slowly and put their effort into root systems. Once established, they often stay fairly small throughout spring and summer with a good show by mid-to-late summer that lasts well into fall.
Cool-season ‘Elijah Blue’ blue fescue (Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’) and ‘Karl Foerster’ feather reed grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’) work well planted together in this San Francisco garden.
What to plant this fall. Both warm-season and cool-season grasses can be planted in the fall for garden interest. Warm-season grasses put on the most stunning autumn show, but be sure to pick up gallon-size plants at the nursery if you’d like to appreciate them the first year of planting.
Cool-season grasses should be planted early in the fall, before plants enter full dormancy. Choose cool-season grasses that are more mature plants, those with eye-catching seed heads and ones with an attractive dormant state.
What to plant this fall. Both warm-season and cool-season grasses can be planted in the fall for garden interest. Warm-season grasses put on the most stunning autumn show, but be sure to pick up gallon-size plants at the nursery if you’d like to appreciate them the first year of planting.
Cool-season grasses should be planted early in the fall, before plants enter full dormancy. Choose cool-season grasses that are more mature plants, those with eye-catching seed heads and ones with an attractive dormant state.
10 Ornamental Grasses to Plant Now
1. ‘Shenandoah’ Switchgrass
(Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’)
Native to American tall-grass prairies, switchgrasses can be fairly drought-tolerant once established and able to withstand long periods with little moisture. Reaching 3 to 4 feet tall at maturity, ‘Shenandoah’ is a good choice for the back of borders or in meadow plantings. A warm-season grass, ‘Shenandoah’ emerges a soft blue-green in spring, with the tips deepening from pink to burgundy in summer and to a deep claret by midautumn.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 31.7 degrees Celsius (USDA zones 4 to 9; find your zone)
Water requirement: Moderate; low once established
Light requirement: Part sun to full sun
See how to grow ‘Shenandoah’ switchgrass
1. ‘Shenandoah’ Switchgrass
(Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’)
Native to American tall-grass prairies, switchgrasses can be fairly drought-tolerant once established and able to withstand long periods with little moisture. Reaching 3 to 4 feet tall at maturity, ‘Shenandoah’ is a good choice for the back of borders or in meadow plantings. A warm-season grass, ‘Shenandoah’ emerges a soft blue-green in spring, with the tips deepening from pink to burgundy in summer and to a deep claret by midautumn.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 31.7 degrees Celsius (USDA zones 4 to 9; find your zone)
Water requirement: Moderate; low once established
Light requirement: Part sun to full sun
See how to grow ‘Shenandoah’ switchgrass
2. New Zealand Wind Grass
(Anemanthele lessoniana)
A great filler for borders, underplanting for trees and addition to fall perennial gardens, New Zealand wind grass is a versatile cool-season ornamental grass with striking color. The arching foliage changes from green-gold to bronze in fall, deepening to orange-brown in winter. The plant has a mounding form 3 to 4 feet tall and wide.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (zones 8 to 10)
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Full sun to part shade
See how to grow New Zealand wind grass
(Anemanthele lessoniana)
A great filler for borders, underplanting for trees and addition to fall perennial gardens, New Zealand wind grass is a versatile cool-season ornamental grass with striking color. The arching foliage changes from green-gold to bronze in fall, deepening to orange-brown in winter. The plant has a mounding form 3 to 4 feet tall and wide.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (zones 8 to 10)
Water requirement: Moderate
Light requirement: Full sun to part shade
See how to grow New Zealand wind grass
3. ‘Elijah Blue’ Blue Fescue
(Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’)
This cool-season grass is favored for its silvery blue color and well-behaved mounding habit. Plant ‘Elijah Blue’ in swaths to give the impression of silver streams running through the garden, or arrange it in a geometric pattern for a contemporary look. Plants grow relatively quickly to 8 to 12 inches tall and wide, and form neat mounds.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 31.7 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 8)
Water requirement: Moderate; low once established
Light requirement: Full sun
See how to grow blue fescue
(Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’)
This cool-season grass is favored for its silvery blue color and well-behaved mounding habit. Plant ‘Elijah Blue’ in swaths to give the impression of silver streams running through the garden, or arrange it in a geometric pattern for a contemporary look. Plants grow relatively quickly to 8 to 12 inches tall and wide, and form neat mounds.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 31.7 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 8)
Water requirement: Moderate; low once established
Light requirement: Full sun
See how to grow blue fescue
4. ‘Blonde Ambition’ Blue Grama Grass
(Bouteloua gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition’)
The faintest breeze will cause the horizontal seed heads of ‘Blonde Ambition’ to quiver on the ends of stiff 3-foot-tall stems. This warm-season grass is a good choice for low-maintenance gardens, as it requires little care, is drought-tolerant once established and hangs on to its seed heads well into winter, providing many months of garden interest.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 31.7 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 9)
Water requirement: Moderate; low once established
Light requirement: Full sun to part shade
See how to grow blue grama grass
(Bouteloua gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition’)
The faintest breeze will cause the horizontal seed heads of ‘Blonde Ambition’ to quiver on the ends of stiff 3-foot-tall stems. This warm-season grass is a good choice for low-maintenance gardens, as it requires little care, is drought-tolerant once established and hangs on to its seed heads well into winter, providing many months of garden interest.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 31.7 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 9)
Water requirement: Moderate; low once established
Light requirement: Full sun to part shade
See how to grow blue grama grass
5. Pink Muhly Grass
(Muhlenbergia capillaris)
Planted en masse or in small groups throughout the garden, pink muhly grass creates a shimmering pink haze with its diffuse seed heads. Native to central and eastern regions of the United States as well as Texas, this warm-season grass is fairly bulletproof in the garden. It’s noted to be drought-resistant and tolerant of poor drainage, and can take baking, reflected heat — such as from a wall — while growing in poor soil.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 23.3. degrees Celsius (zones 6 to 9)
Water requirement: Moderate; low once established
Light requirement: Full sun
See how to grow pink muhly grass
(Muhlenbergia capillaris)
Planted en masse or in small groups throughout the garden, pink muhly grass creates a shimmering pink haze with its diffuse seed heads. Native to central and eastern regions of the United States as well as Texas, this warm-season grass is fairly bulletproof in the garden. It’s noted to be drought-resistant and tolerant of poor drainage, and can take baking, reflected heat — such as from a wall — while growing in poor soil.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 23.3. degrees Celsius (zones 6 to 9)
Water requirement: Moderate; low once established
Light requirement: Full sun
See how to grow pink muhly grass
6. ‘Karl Foerster’ Feather Reed Grass
(Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’)
With a narrow, upright form and dramatic buff-colored seed heads, ‘Karl Foerster’ is an excellent choice to plant as a screen, along the side of the house or bordering property fences. The cool-season grass reaches nearly 6 feet tall but stays under 2 feet wide. The seeds of the ‘Karl Foerster’ are not viable and will not self-start in other areas of the garden or open grassland. Cut back hard in winter, and the plant will regrow to full height in spring.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 31.7 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 9)
Water requirement: Low to moderate
Light requirement: Full sun
See how to grow ‘Karl Foerster’ feather reed grass
(Calamagrostis x acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’)
With a narrow, upright form and dramatic buff-colored seed heads, ‘Karl Foerster’ is an excellent choice to plant as a screen, along the side of the house or bordering property fences. The cool-season grass reaches nearly 6 feet tall but stays under 2 feet wide. The seeds of the ‘Karl Foerster’ are not viable and will not self-start in other areas of the garden or open grassland. Cut back hard in winter, and the plant will regrow to full height in spring.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 31.7 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 9)
Water requirement: Low to moderate
Light requirement: Full sun
See how to grow ‘Karl Foerster’ feather reed grass
7. ‘Hameln’ Dwarf Fountain Grass
(Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’)
The soft bunny-tail plumes of ‘Hameln’ are almost impossible not to touch. This warm-season grass is a moderate grower to 2 to 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide. It works well planted along walkways, dry streambeds and in containers mixed with other water-wise perennials.
Note: In some regions, ‘Hameln’ can be invasive and inappropriate for use in gardens bordering wild areas. To prevent self-seeding, deadhead plants in fall to keep seeds from reaching maturity.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 31.7 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 11)
Water requirement: Moderate; low once established
Light requirement: Full sun
(Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’)
The soft bunny-tail plumes of ‘Hameln’ are almost impossible not to touch. This warm-season grass is a moderate grower to 2 to 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide. It works well planted along walkways, dry streambeds and in containers mixed with other water-wise perennials.
Note: In some regions, ‘Hameln’ can be invasive and inappropriate for use in gardens bordering wild areas. To prevent self-seeding, deadhead plants in fall to keep seeds from reaching maturity.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 31.7 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 11)
Water requirement: Moderate; low once established
Light requirement: Full sun
8. Foothill Sedge
(Carex tumulicola)
A native to coastal prairies of North America, from California to Canada’s British Columbia, foothill sedge is a cool-seaon grass often heralded on the West Coast as an environmentally friendly lawn replacement. It takes far less water and maintenance than traditional turf, and looks just as good in light-shade areas as it does planted in full sun.
There’s been confusion among plant buyers in recent years, as Berkeley sedge (Carex divulsa) was sold by nurseries as C. tumulicola. While some argue that C. divulsa forms a denser, prettier clump in the garden, be sure to get your plants from a trusted nursery if you’re interested in growing the native C. tumulicola.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (zones 8 to 10)
Water requirement: Moderate to low
Light requirement: Full sun to light shade
(Carex tumulicola)
A native to coastal prairies of North America, from California to Canada’s British Columbia, foothill sedge is a cool-seaon grass often heralded on the West Coast as an environmentally friendly lawn replacement. It takes far less water and maintenance than traditional turf, and looks just as good in light-shade areas as it does planted in full sun.
There’s been confusion among plant buyers in recent years, as Berkeley sedge (Carex divulsa) was sold by nurseries as C. tumulicola. While some argue that C. divulsa forms a denser, prettier clump in the garden, be sure to get your plants from a trusted nursery if you’re interested in growing the native C. tumulicola.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (zones 8 to 10)
Water requirement: Moderate to low
Light requirement: Full sun to light shade
9. Purple Fountain Grass
(Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’)
A very showy warm-season grass, ‘Rubrum’ can be used as the focal point of a mixed bed or as a stand-alone specimen in a container. Plants form an upright clump 2 to 4 feet tall of deep maroon leaves, topped with arching flower spikes that change from red to tan. In colder winter areas, plant as an annual. The ‘Rubrum’ variety doesn’t reseed — as other varieties do — making it a more garden-friendly choice.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (zones 8 to 11)
Water requirement: Moderate; low once established
Light requirement: Full sun
(Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’)
A very showy warm-season grass, ‘Rubrum’ can be used as the focal point of a mixed bed or as a stand-alone specimen in a container. Plants form an upright clump 2 to 4 feet tall of deep maroon leaves, topped with arching flower spikes that change from red to tan. In colder winter areas, plant as an annual. The ‘Rubrum’ variety doesn’t reseed — as other varieties do — making it a more garden-friendly choice.
Where it will grow: Hardy to 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 9.4 degrees Celsius (zones 8 to 11)
Water requirement: Moderate; low once established
Light requirement: Full sun
10. Maiden Grass Cultivars
(Miscanthus sinensis cvs.)
Maiden grass is another favorite warm-season grass prized for its soft texture, brushlike seed heads and graceful form. Size varies by variety, from dwarf ‘Little Kitten’, which tops out at 3 feet, to ‘Graziella’, which can reach the top of your head.
For a particularly dramatic display, plant en masse on both sides of a walkway, where the billowing form will give the feeling of walking through a meadow.
Note: In some regions, maiden grass can be invasive and inappropriate for use in gardens. In temperate climates, seeds rarely reach maturity, but in areas with long, hot summers, there can be a risk of self-seeding. Check with your county agricultural department or native plant society before planting.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 28.9 degrees Celsius (zones 5 to 9)
Water requirement: Low to moderate
Light requirement: Full sun
More
20 Favorite Flowers for the Fall Landscape
Create High-Impact Container Gardens With Grasses
(Miscanthus sinensis cvs.)
Maiden grass is another favorite warm-season grass prized for its soft texture, brushlike seed heads and graceful form. Size varies by variety, from dwarf ‘Little Kitten’, which tops out at 3 feet, to ‘Graziella’, which can reach the top of your head.
For a particularly dramatic display, plant en masse on both sides of a walkway, where the billowing form will give the feeling of walking through a meadow.
Note: In some regions, maiden grass can be invasive and inappropriate for use in gardens. In temperate climates, seeds rarely reach maturity, but in areas with long, hot summers, there can be a risk of self-seeding. Check with your county agricultural department or native plant society before planting.
Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 28.9 degrees Celsius (zones 5 to 9)
Water requirement: Low to moderate
Light requirement: Full sun
More
20 Favorite Flowers for the Fall Landscape
Create High-Impact Container Gardens With Grasses
Comments (14)
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PROBosler Earth Design
3 years ago
PROBethesda Garden Design llc
3 years ago
I too have used 'Hameln' dwarf fountain grass to line a walkway. It provides nice movement against the static hardscape. I like to keep the grasses up throughout the winter for the wildlife and then cut them in early, early spring.
Leann Henshaw