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Plant Name & Description
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Grass Trial Collections - See Collections -Home Page |
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Acorus gramineus
Zone 4 |
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g. ‘Ogon’ (Golden variegated
Sweet Flag)
Very fragrant, small grass-like or even iris-like foliage with gold to cream variegation. 6-10".
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g.
pusillus minimus 'Aureus’ (Golden Miniature
Sweet Flag)
Little plant with a Big Name. Very
diminutive, fragrant, bright gold, grasss-like foliage is great as a ground cover or planted between rocks and stepping stones. Happiest in moist partial shade. 3-5". |
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Calamagrostis (Feather Reed Grass)
Zone 3-8
acutiflora ‘Avalanche’ Center variegated form of Karl Foerster. 50”. |
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Calamagrostis
a. ‘Karl Foerster’ Early emerging, wheat-colored plumes are great for providing vertical effect in the landscape. 50”, Early summer. 2001 PPA “Perennial Plant of the Year”. |
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a. ‘Overdam’
White and pink variegated sport of ‘Karl Foerster’.
Probably the best variegated grass for Zone 5 or
colder. 50”, Early summer. |
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'brachytricha'
When its famous brethern is tarting to look
tired and tattered, this beauty rises to the sibling
rivalry front. Graceful, soft feathery plumes
with a pink inflorescense are produced in a fountain
like form above healthy rich green foliage.
Durable, adaptable grass that deserves much wider
use. |
| Carex (Sedge)
Zone 4-9 |
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appalachica (Appalachian Sedge)
Clump forming sedge with fine textured,
grass-like foliage. Graceful yet tough ground
cover that is superb for softening up bold Hosta
foliage or for naturalizing in any shade area or
meadow. 6-8", Full shade, early-midspring. |
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flacca (glauca) 'Blue Zinger'
this grass-like sedge is more clump forming
than C. flacca. It's leaves are light
blue-green. clumps form up to 16" tall.
Drought tolerant and tough. Evergreen in
warmer climates. May flowers.
8-16". |
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muskingumensis ‘Little Midge’
Short, compact, lacy foliage is much shorter and well behaved than the species. 12-15". |
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m. ‘Oehme’ Zone 4 - 9.
Slowly creeping, glossy green, palm-like foliage that develops a distinct narrow golden margin as the season progresses. 15 - 20”, |
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ornithipoda 'Variegata' (Variegated
Bird's Foot Sedge) Thin green leaves with
white to cream centers. Easily mistaken for
Carex oshimensis 'Evergold' except that it is much
more cold hardy. We have grown it here, in the
open, for over 12 years with no loss, making it at
least USDA Zone 4 plant. |
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pennsylvanica
Tough, slowly spreading, grass-like, native
sedge that makes a wonderful garden cover in
somewhat dry, difficult shade conditions. Can
handle some foot traffic. |
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speciosa
Very fine textured, grass-like, clumping
sedge that is invaluable for softening the shade
garden. Very tough, hardy, long lived and
adaptable sedge that deserves much wider use.
Can handle some foot traffic. Hardy to a least
zone 4. 10". |
| Chasmanthium latifolium
(Northern Sea Oats) Zone 4 |
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Attractive seed heads. Nice fall color. Good for dry cut flowers. 3 - 4’, Early summer. |
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l. 'River Mist' PPAF (Rivermist Northern Sea Oats)
New variegated form of Northern Sea Oats
characterized by unique green and white foliage and
seed heads. 30-36". Late spring-summer. |
Deschampsia caespitosa (Tufted Hair Grass) Zone 4
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c. ‘Goldtau’ (Gold Dew)
Bright gold plumes above dark green tufted foliage. Shorter and more compact than D. ‘Schottland’ 16-20”. |
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c. ‘Schottland’
Dense tufted foliage below billowy cloud-like golden plumes. 3 - 4’, Early summer. |
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Elymus (See Lymus) |
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Erianthus ravennae (Plum
Grass aka. Saccharum ravennae)
Very tall grass with silvery-pink plumes. Often referred to as a hardy Pampas Grass, although it is still not particularly hardy north of Zone 5. 14’, Autumn. |
Festuca glauca (Blue Fescue) Zone 4
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'Boulder Blue'
Very blue grass that is slightly shorter and
bluer than Elijah Blue. Then new standard in
Blue Fescues. 6-8". Early - midsummer. |
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‘Elijah Blue’ (Blue Fescue) Zone 4
Low tufted grass with fine silver-glaucous leaves. Considered by many to be the best Blue Fescue. 6 - 10”, Early - midsummer. |
Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' Zone 5 -9
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Golden-variegated leaves with green stripes. Produces pink to red coloring effects in spring and fall. 14”.
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Hackonechloa macra 'All Gold'
Brilliant gold counterpart of our 2009
Perennial plant of the year. Wonderful for
brightening up and softening the shade garden. |
Helictotricon sempervirens
‘Sapphire’ (Blue Oat Grass) Zone 3
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Silvery-blue pin-shaped leaves are held in a form best described as being similar to a Yucca. This cultivar is reported to be more tolerant of heat, humidity and disease. 18 - 24”, Early - midsummer. |
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Juncus Zone 5 |
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effusus ‘Spiralis’ (Corkscrew Rush)
Unusual leafless perennial with spiraled
dark green stems resembling a corkscrew. Very
interesting and always eyecatching. 12”. |
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inflexus
‘Afro’ (Corkscrew Rush)
Blue-green corkscrew shaped leaves.
Tough and adaptable rush that will thrive in most
average garden conditions. 18". |
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Lymus arenarius glaucous (Elymus) Zone
4 |
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‘Blue Dune’ Vigorous creeping grass with metallic-blue blades.
Great for difficult areas and erosion control foliage. 1 - 2’, Late summer. |
| Miscanthus Zone 4 |
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giganteus, Formerly M. floridulus (Giant Miscanthus)
Very tall, bamboo-like shoots ending in
feathery plumes. Fantastic for using as a privacy
screen or for a specimen planting. 12 - 15’, Late
autumn. |
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sinensis ‘Blondo’
Early, dependable, wheat-colored plumes that turn silver and last well into the winter. Probably the hardiest of the Miscanthus sinensis. 5 - 6’, Late summer. |
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s. 'Gold Bar'
Very similar to the very popular Porcupine
Grass but shorter and with more intense, heavy
varigation. 3'. Mid-autumn. |
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s. ‘Goliath’
Early dark colored plumes are vertical and very tall, in fact, the tallest of the M. sinensis with plumes up to 9 feet tall. Very hardy vigorous selection with superb form. |
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s.‘Gracillimus'
Back by popular demand. Valued for its
fine leaf blades with a thin silver vein.
Plumes emerge reddish and change to white. 7'.
Early autumn. |
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s.‘Graziella’
Large, early-opening, pom-pom like plumes
over fine foliage with a white stripe down the
middle of the leaves. Very hardy and tough.
Probably our best Miscanthus sinensis for all around
performance and ornamental qualities. 5 - 6’, Late summer. |
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s. ‘Malepartus'
Large, purple-pink plumes open early
then change shortly after to silver. 6 - 8'.
Late summer. |
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s. ‘Morning
Light' Zone 9
Dwarf variegated miscanthus. 4-6",
Early autumn. |
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s. Nippon'
Similar to 'Gracillimus' but shorter and
earlier blooming. Thin graceful foliage with
silver midrib below early blooming rosy plumes that
later fade to cream. 5'. Midseason. |
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s. ‘Purpurascens’ (Flame Grass)
Plumes open early and are followed by late-summer, red-orange foliage.
Very popular, tough, adaptable grass. 3 - 4’, Midsummer. |
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s. ‘Sarabande'
Similar to M. 'Gracillimus' except with
finer textured narrower leaves and earlier blooming.
Superb for its foliage alone. Golden-copper
colored plumes to 6 feet in August. |
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s. 'Silver Feather' (Silberfeder)
Silvery-white plumes that bloom early and
last all winter. Very popular. 6-7'. |
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s. strictus (Porcupine Grass) Zone 5
Horizontal, yellow-and-green-striped leaves. Very similar to ‘Zebra Grass’ except more erect and better defined variegation. 5 - 7’, Mid-autumn.
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Molinia caerulea Zone 4 |
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Molinia
c. ‘Variegata’
Thick tufts of heavily variegated foliage.
Very hardy, always flawless, adaptable tough grass
that deserves much more use. 12 - 18”. |
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Muhlenbergia capillaris (Pink Muhly Grass) Zone 6 |
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A native, tidy clump forming grass.
Fine-textured blue foliage with late summer
exploding clouds of airy pink plumes. 24-36".
Late summer-autumn. |
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Panicum amarum 'Dewey Blue' (Beach Grass)
Zone 3-9 |
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Very blue, fountain-like foliage below airy
panicles. One of the bluest of the blue
Ornamental Grasses. 5'. |
| Panicum virgatum (Switchgrass)
Zone 3-9 |
| One of the main constituents of our native tall grass prairies from which some of the finest new selections are being made for ornamental use. Produces tall airy panicles by late summer. Good fall color. 3 -5’, Late summer- autumn. |
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v. ‘Cherry
Sparkler' (Variegated Purple Fountain Grass) PPAF
White and green striped leaves with blush
overtones below wonderfully contrasting red-burgundy
plumes. Zone 9-10. 24". Sun-partial
shade. |
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v. ‘Cloud Nine’
Large, very wide, airy cloud-like panicles on blue foliage. Superb,
tough, adaptable, disease free, native grass
selection that deserves much more use. 5-7’. |
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v. ‘Heavy
Metal'
Stiffly upright, metallic-blue foliage.
Airy panicles. 4'. |
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v. ‘North Winds’
Very upright thick foliage and feathery
plumes. Produces a superbly graceful vertical
effect that lasts until it is cut down in the
spring. Wonderful bright orange fall color.
5'. |
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v. ‘Prairie
Sky'
Back by popular demand, one of the Bluest of
the Blue switch grasses, that is happiest when
neglected and deprived of water and fertilizer.
Under fertile well watered conditions it may flop. 4'. |
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v. ‘Red
Sunset' PPAF
This superb seedling of Panicum 'Shenandoah'
is the reddest native grass we have ever seen.
In fact, visitors here have mistaken it for Japanese
Blood Grass. Backlit by the sun, it reminded
me of a glowing red sunset, thus the name.
Lake most Panicums, it begins its season green and
later changes to red. A Van Hoorn Nurseries
introduction. 3'. |
| Pennisetum
Zone 4 - 9 |
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alopecuroides
(Fountain Grass)
Gracefully arching green foliage below bottlebrush-like plumes. 3 -4’, Summer to fall. |
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a. ‘Hameln’ (Dwarf Fountain Grass)
Profuse amounts amounts of soft, light
colored, bottlebrush-like plumes above fine foliage.
2000 MNLA Growers Choice Award. One of our
most popular grasses. 2'. Midsummer. |
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a. ‘Little
Bunny’ (Miniature Fountain Grass)
Very dwarf Fountain Grass with small, soft, cream
bottlebrush like plumes above and around tufts of
fine foliage. 11", Summer. |
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a. ‘Piglet'
PP19074 An exciting new dwarf sized grass
just 18" tall. Clump forming narrow to medium,
deep green leaves with showy outward facing small
bottle-brush like tawny plumes. 18". Mid-late
summer-autumn. |
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a. ‘Red
Head' From Brent Horvath of Intrinsic
Gardens comes this wonderful new Fountain Grass in a
new color. Large. reddish-purple bottle-brush
like plumes. 3-4'. Summer. |
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setaceum 'Fireworks' PP18504
(Variegated Purple Fountain Grass) Zone 9-10
Great new look to a very popular old favorite.
Showy upright burgundy colored leaf blades, flanked
with a kaleidoscope of various colored variegation
of white, green and burgundy margins. 24",
summer. |
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setaceum ‘Rubrum’ (Purple Fountain Grass)
Zone 8. Fast growing annual grass with burgundy foliage, and gracefully arching bottlebrush like plumes to 12" long. Extremely popular and worth replanting every year. 4-5’, Summer to frost.
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Phalaris
Zone 3
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Phalaris arundinacea ‘Strawberries and Cream’ aka. ‘Feesey’s Variety’ Zone 3.
Pink, white and green variegated leaves. 18 - 24”, Early summer. |
Schizachyrium scoparium Zone 3
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Schizachyrium scoparium (Little Blue Stem) Zone 3
Superb native grass with shades of green, blue, red, burgundy, bronze and orange in the foliage at various times of the year. When planted in mass, a light wind helps to create a shiny sea of glistening color. 12 - 24”, Mid -autumn. |
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s. ‘The Blues’
Little Blue Stem selection that has far more blue than the species. Very popular. 12 - 24”, Mid-autumn. |
Sorghastrum nutans (Indian Grass) Zone
2
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One of the major constituents of our Tall Grass
Prairies. Golden brown plumes above blue-green
foliage. 5 - 7’, Autumn. |
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s. ‘Sioux
Blue'
Very blue selection of Indian Grass.
6'. |
Sporobolos heterolepsis (Prairie Dropseed)
Zone 3
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Luxurious mounds of hair-like foliage provide a wonderful lacy contrast to more
broad-leafed plants. Light airy plumes. Edible nutritious seeds. Fantastic fall color. 18 - 24”, Autumn. |
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h.
'Tara'
Dwarf version of our native Prairie Drop
Seed. Very profuse, airy plumes above very
fine, grassy foliage. From seed, Sporobolus is
very variable, so this wonderful cultivar takes that
factor away and looks great in mass or as specimen
plant. Destined for greatness.
Discovered by Plantsman Roy Diblik of Northwind
Perennial Farm in Wisconsin. 2'. Late summer. |
