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Grasses are so ubiquitous that they’re assumed to be present in a landscape without conscious thought and when they’re not there, the landscape can feel like it lacks something. In Part II of Whimsical Warm Season Grasses we'll take a peek at some reliable species for pocket prairie type settings where height needs to be kept in check, and also a few species well suited for areas where room to spread out and put on a show is a must!
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Short Height Pocket Prairies
Bouteloua curtipendula
Need something shorter in your designs? Side oats grama grass stays under 24” tall and is a perfect understated filler for large spaces, not competing with other plants for your matrix garden designs. One of the dominant plants found in prairies, it’s a great choice in urban environments to make a pocket prairie being highly adaptable to a wide range of soil conditions. It prefers full sun and grows in USDA zones 3-9.
Eragrostis spectabilis
Purple lovegrass is an easy, reliable favorite and works well as a front-of-bed grass. Growing 18-24” tall and wide at its maximum while in flower, Eragrostis spectabilis stays in a tidy clump that can be spaced to provide a neat textural contrast to other clumping perennials, covering up bare legs of taller plant material, and adding an effervescent pink-hue in late summer. It prefers full sun, poor soils, and grows in USDA zones 4-11.
Andropogon virginicus
Another quietly unassuming ecosystem lynchpin, broomsedge isn’t noticeable until fall when its green foliage transitions to a warm golden hue. It stays upright the entire winter and becomes the golden pillar you see through the landscape, a punctuation mark against the winter snows. It will colonize a disturbed area and isn’t particular about its soil – it’ll even be found growing in concrete cracks. Commonly found in more southeastern locations, broomsedge provides a great base for a prairie matrix, habitat for wildlife, and great winter presence. Grows 2-3’ tall and prefers full sun in USDA zones 4-8.
Schizachyrium scoparium
Little bluestem, with big bluestem, makes up to 80% of the grass composition in prairie habitats. This durable and adaptable grass grows 3-4’ tall and can take fire, drought, salt, and heavy clay all while still looking pretty. As its common name suggests, it has a lovely blue-green hue that transitions to streaks of purple and red that is hard to capture on film in fall. It grows best in full sun in USDA zones 3-10.
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Native Grasses for Large(r) Spaces
Sorghastrum nutans
One of the 5 essential warm-season grasses found in the tall grass prairie habitat, yellow prairie grass is a fast-growing and clumping grass that forms a 3’ tuft of blue-green foliage in the summer which erupts in golden transparent seedheads in late summer and autumn up to 5’ tall. It is one of the most noticeable grasses you see in a large landscape with the seedheads dancing in the setting sunlight. A very adaptable plant, it grows in USDA zones 3-9, tolerates a wide variety of soils, is drought tolerant, and prefers full sun.
Panicum virgatum
An undemanding warm-season grass, switchgrass grows with an upright habit up to 3-5’ tall. Wildlife love the seeds and use the foliage for habitat. It can take flooding, drought, prairie burns, salt runoff, poor soil, heat, and high humidity. Another essential plant of the tall grass prairie habitat, Panicum virgatum’s deep root system helps with erosion control and penetrates past compacted soil to help reconnect the topsoil back to the subsoil layers. The panicles of seedheads provide a hazy filter to watch the setting sun. Can’t say enough good stuff about this quietly unassuming plant. For best performance, it prefers full sun in USDA zones 3-9.
Chasmanthium latifolium
You need something that can take full sun AND shade and can be your transitioning repetition piece between both environments? Northern seaoats is your grass of choice. Flat wheat-like dangling seedheads appear in late summer becoming a beautiful tawny hue in fall and hold into winter, great for cut flowers. We love how this plant can be used in large groupings and repeated through an environment to bring unity and cohesion to a design. A favorite of wildlife, Northern seaoats grows 3’ tall and 2-3’ wide in USDA zones 5-10.
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Fall Planting Warm Season Grasses
We recommend warm-season grasses be installed in late summer through to fall when regular occurrence of rain returns to your area. Generally, warm-season grasses should be planted at least 6-8 weeks before you anticipate the first frost in your area. (Check your first frost date here) Fall is a wonderful time to plant Landscape Plugs™ because the warm soil temperatures (above 65F) encourage active root growth and quick establishment while the cooler temperatures are less stressful for plants. When you plant in fall, this allows perennials and warm-season grasses to go through a winter dormancy, accelerating their establishment for next year’s show.
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Just in Time for Fall
Now is the time for ordering your fall installation plants! Our growers work hard to grow you what you need when you need it. We’re here for you— give us a call at 877.ECO.PLUG or email us at orders@northcreeknurseries.com to place your order. We look forward to providing you with excellent plant material for your next project.
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