18 New Grasses To Grow
Ornamental grasses fit in with the needs of today’s landscapers and consumers better than ever. They are pest free, low maintenance and drought tolerant and come in such a wide range of sizes, shapes and colors that there are varieties to suit every situation. Whether your customers are looking for creative solutions for patio containers or a mass planting in a landscape, some of the 18 new varieties included here are sure to meet the need.
-
-
1 of 18
Andropogon 'Rain Dance' (Emerald Coast Growers)
Available exclusively from Emerald Coast Growers, ‘Rain Dance’ features red-tipped foliage that is deeper green than the species and turns completely maroon in fall. Adding to the interest are red flowers on red stems. A sun lover, ‘Rain Dance’ grows to 6 feet tall and is hardy in Zones 3 to 9.
-
2 of 18
Andropogon 'Red October' (Emerald Coast Growers)
This gorgeous grass features deep-green foliage that darkens to purple in late summer, then turns vivid scarlet in autumn for spectacular late-season color. ‘Red October’ loves sun and reaches a height of 5 to 6 feet. It’s hardy in Zones 3 to 8.
-
3 of 18
Carex 'Everlime' (Hoffman Nursery)
‘Everlime’ has vivid, beautiful green foliage with a deep-green centers flanked by lime margins. The tone-on-tone effect is especially striking mixed with vivid flowers. Like all the EverColor sedges, ‘Everlime’ has a neat flowing habit and evergreen foliage. It is the winner of a Bronze Medal at Plantarium 2013.
-
4 of 18
Carex 'Eversheen' (Hoffman Nursery)
EverColor sedges have neat, flowing habits and evergreen foliage. They’re easy to grow and stand out in containers. New to the series, ‘Eversheen’ turns up the volume on stripes, with a lime-yellow center and deep-green margins. A bright addition to shade gardens and a great complement to broad-leaved perennials.
-
5 of 18
Festuca 'Beyond Blue' (North Creek Nurseries)
Finally, a true blue festuca. Not only does it have intense blue foliage that stays bright through the season, it is wonderfully reliable and easily maintained. ‘Beyond Blue’ is excellent en masse but can also punctuate a small garden in clusters of 3 or 5. Introduced by Concept Plants.
-
6 of 18
Lomandra 'LimeTough' (Ball Ornamentals)
Lomandra is a lush, grass-like plant that adapts to a wide variety of soils and loves the heat. It is ecologically friendly, as well as drought tolerant and low maintenance. ‘Lime Tough’ is a tall, upright, mid-green variety that won’t get whipped out of shape by the wind. It is fuller than others and is a staple in drought-sensitive landscapes. Hardy in Zones 8 to 11.
-
7 of 18
Lomandra 'Platinum Beauty' (Plant Development)
Lomandra have proven themselves to be tough, extremely drought resistant, easy-care landscape or container plants. 'Platinum Beauty' is a stunning grey-green and-white striped introduction. It is evergreen in Zones 8 to 11 and is a moderate grower, reaching 2 to 3 feet in both height and width. ‘Platinum Beauty’ is from Plant Development Services, Inc. and will be in both the Southern Living Plant Collection and the Sunset Western Garden Collection.
-
8 of 18
Miscanthus 'My Fair Maiden' (Star Roses And Plants)
This new miscanthus is distinguished by its attractive vase-shaped form. It has extremely low seed set and viability. Its virtual sterility is a breakthrough in breeding. When in plume, the effect is striking when lit from behind with the low-angled sun of a fall day.
-
9 of 18
Muhlenbergia 'Undaunted' (Jelitto)
Scott Ogden and Lauren Springer discovered an exceptionally robust population of Muhlenbergia reverchonii in North Central Texas. This selected form offers exceptionally showy, pinkish-red flowers and a full-bodied but fine-textured base of gray-green leaves. It’s a non-spreading, mounding grass that maintains full and healthy centers, thrives in most soils and adapts to water-logging, as well as drought. This stunning, durable grass is hardy to Zone 5.
-
10 of 18
Panicum 'Apache Rose' (Walters Gardens)
Introduced at the 2015 California Spring Trials, this native grass has grey-green leaves and a rigidly upright habit. Unlike other green-leaved switch grasses, ‘Apache Rose’ has rose-colored flower panicles instead of cream or tan. In the fall, tips of the leaves are flushed with rosy-red.
-
11 of 18
Panicum 'Cape Breeze' (North Creek Nurseries)
This Cape Cod selection, found by celebrated landscape designer Paul Miskovsky and introduced by North Creek Nurseries, has fantastic foliage that stays green until Halloween. From production to the landscape, this grass truly is a breeze. Selected for upright habit, compact size and early flowering, ‘Cape Breeze’ has a tidy stature and combines the toughness of seaside panicum with the neatness of garden-worthy cultivars.
-
12 of 18
Panicum 'Hot Rod' (Plant Haven)
‘Hot Rod’ has blue-green foliage in the spring, but the whole plant rapidly turns a deep, rich maroon – earlier than other varieties of panicum. It has airy red flowers in mid- to late-summer and a compact, upright habit. It reaches 3 feet in height and is hardy to Zone 4.
-
13 of 18
Pennisetum 'Black Stockings' (D.S. Cole Growers)
This gorgeous grass has a beautiful, rich, purple-black color with wide leaves. It grows quickly in the garden and can reach 6 feet tall during the summer, even in northern climates. It is produced from tissue culture to ensure clean product.
-
14 of 18
Pennisetum 'Burgundy Bunny' (Plant Haven)
‘Burgundy Bunny’ features fine-textured green foliage highlighted with red accents in the summer. By fall, the whole plant is blazing red. Soft, cream-colored, bottle-brush-type flowers add to the effect. ‘Burgundy Bunny’ is perfect for containers or small gardens because of its tight clumping habit, and the fact it is only 18 inches tall and wide. It is reliably hardy to Zone 6.
-
15 of 18
Pennisetum 'Royal Lady' (Emerald Coast Growers)
The latest addition to the Royal Collection from Emerald Coast Growers, ‘Royal Lady’ boasts blades that emerge green, then darken with heat and sun to maroon and finally royal purple with a red midrib. Assertively upright, yet full and graceful, 'Royal Lady' grows 4 to 5 feet tall in sun or partial shade and is hardy in Zones 8 to 11.
-
16 of 18
Pennisetum 'Graceful Grasses Sky Rocket' (Four Star Greenhouse)
Add interest to landscapes or containers with 'Graceful Grasses Sky Rocket’ pennisetum from Four Star Greenhouse. Its green leaves feature white-striped margins and are topped by smoky-pink plumes that turn cream colored later in the season. Sky Rocket is ideal for sunny spots. It has an upright growth habit reaching 24 to 30 inches in height.
-
17 of 18
Schizachyrium 'Prairie Munchkin' (Plants Nouveau)
‘Prairie Munchkin’ was selected for the steel-blue new growth and for the fact that it does not flop in late summer or even winter, like most little bluestems do. It is the perfect size for median and municipal plantings that require plants to be 3 feet tall or smaller. 'Prairie Munchkin' is the perfect native alternative to the highly overused calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster.’ This sturdy new grass will make a perfect 3-foot-tall hedge. Use it in naturalistic plantings in a border or mass it in a hedgerow for a very minimalist, modern look.
-
18 of 18
Schizachyrium 'Twilight Zone' (Walters Gardens)
This cultivar of little bluestem has been massively popular, so this is your chance to try it for 2016 sales. Native to North America, this prairie grass has silvery mauve-purple flowers that appear as early as midsummer, and it retains its color through fall when brighter purple highlights develop.
View all
Andropogon 'Rain Dance' (Emerald Coast Growers)
Andropogon 'Red October' (Emerald Coast Growers)
Carex 'Everlime' (Hoffman Nursery)
Carex 'Eversheen' (Hoffman Nursery)
Festuca 'Beyond Blue' (North Creek Nurseries)
Lomandra 'LimeTough' (Ball Ornamentals)
Lomandra 'Platinum Beauty' (Plant Development)
Miscanthus 'My Fair Maiden' (Star Roses And Plants)
Muhlenbergia 'Undaunted' (Jelitto)
Panicum 'Apache Rose' (Walters Gardens)
Panicum 'Cape Breeze' (North Creek Nurseries)
Panicum 'Hot Rod' (Plant Haven)
Pennisetum 'Black Stockings' (D.S. Cole Growers)
Pennisetum 'Burgundy Bunny' (Plant Haven)
Pennisetum 'Royal Lady' (Emerald Coast Growers)
Pennisetum 'Graceful Grasses Sky Rocket' (Four Star Greenhouse)
Schizachyrium 'Prairie Munchkin' (Plants Nouveau)
Schizachyrium 'Twilight Zone' (Walters Gardens)
Subscribe to eNewsletter
Janeen Wright is former Editor for Greenhouse Grower. See all author stories here.