Designing with grasses

*Acorus gramineus ‘Licorice'
20 centimetres, sun to part shade, moist to wet soil, Zone 5

*A. g. ‘Minimus Aureus'
8 centimetres, sun to part shade, moist to wet soil, Zone 5

A. g. ‘Ogon'
30 centimetres, sun to part shade, moist to wet soil, Zone 5

A. g. ‘Variegatus'
8 to 30 centimetres, sun to part shade, moist to wet soil, Zone 5

Carex conica ‘Snowline'
also known as Ciconica ‘Hime-kan-suge', 30 centi-metres, light shade, moist soil, Zone 5

C. elata ‘Aurea'
80 centimetres, sun, moist to wet soil, Zone 5

C. morrowii cultivars
45 centimetres, light shade, moist soil, Zone 5

*C. nigra ‘Variegata'
30 centimetres, light shade, moist to wet soil, Zone 5

Coix lacryma-jobi
60 centimetres, sun, treat as annual

Cyperus alternifolius ‘Gracilis'
50 centimetres, light shade, wet soil, treat as annual (overwinter indoors)

*Deschampsia flexuosa ‘Tatra Gold'
50 centimetres, sun to light shade, dry to moist soil, Zone 5

Equisetum scirpoides
15 centimetres, part shade, wet soil, Zone 5

Festuca ovina
25 centimetres, sun, dry to average soil, good drainage, Zone 5

Hakonechloa macra
50 centimetres, part shade, moist soil, Zone 4

H. m. ‘Aureola'
35 centimetres, part shade, moist soil, Zone 6

Helictotrichon sempervirens ‘Saphirsprudel'
80 centimetres, sun, dry to average soil, good drainage, Zone 4

Juncus effusus
to 1 metre, sun or shade, wet soil, Zone 4

*J. e. ‘Lemon Twist'
60 centimetres, sun to part shade, wet soil, Zone 5

J. e. ‘Spiralis'
60 centimetres, sun to part shade, wet soil, Zone 5

Leymus arenaria
1 metre, sun, drought-tolerant, but moderately invasive, Zone 4 Luzula sylvatica
45 centimetres, shade, prefers moist soil but tolerates drought, Zone 4

**Miscanthus ‘Giganteus'
to 3 metres, sun, average to moist soil, Zone 4

**M. s. ‘Gracillimus'
to 2 metres, sun, average to moist soil, Zone 5

**M. s. ‘Grosse Fontane'
to 2.4 metres, sun, average to moist soil, Zone 5

**M. s. ‘Morning Light'
1.5 metres, sun, average to moist soil, Zone 5

**M. s. ‘Silberspinne'
2 metres, sun, average to moist soil, Zone 5

**M. s. ‘Strictus'
1.8 metres, sun, average to moist soil, Zone 5

** M. s. ‘Zebrinus'
2 metres, sun, average to moist soil, Zone 5

Molinia caerulea ssp. arundinacea ‘Skyracer'
to 2.5 metres, sun, dry to moist soil, Zone 4

M. caerulea ssp. arundinacea ‘Windspiel'
to 2 metres, sun, dry to moist soil, Zone 4

*Panicum virgatum ‘Dallas'
to 2 metres, sun, average to moist soil, Zone 4

P. v. ‘Heavy Metal'
1.2 metres, sun, dry to moist soil, Zone 4

P. v. ‘Prairie Sky'
1.2 metres, sun, dry to moist soil, Zone 4

Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Little Bunny'
38 centimetres, sun, dry to moist soil, Zone 6

Phalaris arundinacea ‘Picta'
1 metre, sun to part shade, any soil, aggressive spreader, Zone 4

Saccharum ravennae
4.2 metres, sun, average soil, Zone 6

Schoenoplectus lacustris ssp.

Tabernaemontani ‘Albescens'
1.5 metres, sun, wet soil, Zone 5

Sporobolus heterolepsis
38 centimetres, sun to part shade, dry to moist soil, Zone 4

Stipa pennata
75 centimetres, sun, needs good drainage, Zone 6

* marks new introductions

** please note that Miscanthus spp. is potentially invasive in warm, humid climates