Alopecuris praetensis aureus

Yellow Foxtail Grass

Grass

A hardy and easy to grow perennial grass with slender leaves streaked with yellow and 2 ft. tall spikes topped with 'foxtails'. A beautiful and stately looking grass with its blooms in spring. Sun, part sun.

Sun, Part Sun

Normal, Moist

Spring

Bouteloua curtipendula

Side Oats Grama Grass

Grass

In summer, light greyish green foliage is combined with delicate, slender purplish flower spikes. In autumn, foliage turns to bronze, purple and orange. Beautiful in groups. Sun. Drought tolerant. 3 ft.

Sun

Normal

Summer

Calamagrostis acutiflora

Feather Reed Grass 'Karl Foerster'

Grass

Rises from the ground like a green geyser topped with a frothy foam of fluffy flowers. And if that isn't enough effusive alliteration for you, it grows great in gravelly ground too (actually, it does fine anywhere). 6 ft. Likes sun.

Sun, Part Sun

Normal, Moist

Summer

White

Calamagrostis acutiflora

Feather Reed Grass 'Overdam'

Grass

Leaves are strongly erect, green with creamy white edges, and topped with delicate white plumes in early to mid summer. The whole plant seems to shimmer in the summer sun. Around 3 ft. high. Sun to part shade.

Sun, Part Shade

Normal, Moist

Summer

White

Calamagrostis acutiflora

Feather Reed Grass 'Overdam'

Grass

Leaves are strongly erect, green with creamy white edges, and topped with delicate white plumes in early to mid summer. The whole plant seems to shimmer in the summer sun. Around 3 ft. high. Sun to part shade.

Sun, Part Shade

Normal, Moist

Summer

White

Carex elata

Sedge 'Bowles Golden'

Grass

A beautiful sedge for moist conditions. Bright chartreuse foliage makes it a charming accent for any garden. Sun to light shade.

Sun, Part Shade

Moist

Summer

Carex flacca

Blue Sedge

Grass

This beautiful and durable little evergreen sedge grows to 6"-10" high, withstands harsh conditions and will spread indefinitely but slowly into a dense ground cover. If you want it to spread faster, cut it down by a third, two or three times during its growing season. Works well in light shade to full sun.

Sun, Shade

Dry, Moist

Spring

White

Carex grayi

Morningstar Sedge

Grass

This seemingly ordinary looking 2 ft. high grass is glorious when it's flowers turn to seed pods. Dozens of starry looking spheres appear amongst the leaves in early summer. Shade to part sun. Likes to be watered.

Shade, Part Sun

Normal

Summer

Green

Carex siderosticha

Sedge 'Lemon Zest'

Grass

Bright lemon sword-like leaves will illuminate the garden! This clumping, deciduous sedge is stunning combined with Hostas and Heucheras in moderate shade. Part shade. Ht. 10".

Part Shade

Normal, Moist

Deschampsia caespitosa

Tufted Hair Grass

Grass

Native to most western states. Neat, green tufts of foliage 1 to 2 feet high contrast with billowing masses of fine, golden, hair-like inflorescences. Sun, pt. shade. Likes moderate to moist soil.

Sun, Part Shade

Normal, Moist

Summer

Deschampsia caespitosa

Tufted Hair Grass 'Fairy's Joke'

Grass

Narrow, arching green leaves form graceful clumps. Summer bloom is followed by drooping plantlets instead of seeds. 2-4 feet high by 3 feet wide. Sun, pt. shade. Moderate to moist soil.

Sun, Part Shade

Normal, Moist

Summer

Deschampsia caespitosa

Tufted Hair Grass 'Goldtau'

Grass

Neat, dark green foliage to 2 feet contrasts with billowing masses of fine, golden hair-like inflorescences. Sun, pt. shade. Likes moderate to moist soil.

Sun, Part Shade

Normal, Moist

Summer

Deschampsia caespitosa

Tufted Hair Grass 'Schottland'

Grass

Neat, dark green foliage to 2 feet contrasts with billowing masses of fine, chartreuse, hair-like inflorescences. Sun, pt. shade. Likes moderate to moist soil.

Sun, Part Shade

Normal, Moist

Summer

Festuca idahoensis

Idaho Fescue

Grass

A native to the inland Northwest. Evergreen, with beautiful, blue-green leaves topped by fine, straw colored inflorescences. A staple in any Northwest landscape. 12" tall & wide. Drought tolerant once established.

Sun, Part Sun

Normal, Dry

Summer

Hakonechloa macra

Hakone Grass 'Aureola'

Grass

Spreading habit but not invasive. Bright chartreuse strappy leaves turn pinkish-red in autumn. Spectacular in mass plantings. Part to full shade. 12-18" high. Likes moist conditions.

Shade

Moist

Summer

Helictotrichon

Blue Oat Grass

Grass

This is a NW staple - for good reason. Forms a 2 ft. dome of blue-green foliage. Golden straw colored flower spikes shoot out over the leaves like a burst of fireworks in spring & summer. Evergreen, drought tolerant, and mostly care-free.

Sun, Part Shade

Dry, Normal

Spring

Yellow

Juncus effusus

Common Rush

Grass

Great plant for shallow water or constantly moist areas. Evergreen, stiff, erect leaves look good year round but might need older leaves cleaned out now and then. Likes sun.

Sun

Wet, Moist

Summer

Koeleria glauca

Large Blue Hair Grass

Grass

Forms a clump of finely textured blue-green foliage topped with a fireworks explosion of white inflorescences in early summer. Looks best in cooler weather. Prefers lousy soil, but not clay. Sun to part sun.

Sun, Part Sun

Normal

Summer

White

Leymus arenarius

Wild Rye

Grass

3 foot high arching clumps of metallic blue-grey foliage. Golden seed pods emerge on slender, erect stems. Big, dramatic and gorgeous. Loves sun.

Sun, Part Sun

Normal

Summer

Liriope muscari

Lily Turf 'Variegata'

Grass

Strappy, 1" wide leaves with creamy yellow variegation. Delicately showy lavender colored flower spikes. Likes moist fertile soil in part shade. 12" high. Semi-evergreen.

Part Shade

Moist

Summer

Light Purple

Luzula

Wood Rush 'Ruby Stiletto'

Grass

This grass grows into full mounds of slender, vibrant green leaves in summer. In the colder months the foliage takes on brilliant ruby tints. Likes sun and moderate to moist soil. 12" high.

Sun

Normal, Moist

Summer

Miscanthus sinensis

Maiden Grass 'Bluttenwonder'

Grass

Small mounds of thin blue-green leaves are topped in autumn by striking silvery plumes. Blooms in late summer. Leaves turn burgundy in autumn. 2-3 feet high. Likes sun. Does not like to go dry.

Sun

Normal, Moist

Summer

Miscanthus sinensis

Maiden Grass 'Rotsilber'

Grass

Green leaves with silvery white streaks turn red with colder weather in autumn. Blooms with silky red sprays 6 feet high in late Aug. and Sept. Likes sun. An incredibly beautiful large grass.

Sun

Normal, Moist

Summer

Red

Miscanthus sinensis

Maiden Grass 'Little Kitten'

Grass

Small mounds of thin silvery-green leaves are topped in autumn by adorable reddish-silver plumes. Blooms in early autumn. 2-3 feet high. Likes sun. Does not like to go dry.

Sun

Normal, Moist

Autumn

Ophiopogon japonica

Mondo Grass - Dwarf

Grass

This a very low growing green Mondo Grass that works well as a ground cover in sun to light shade. Pretty spikes of bluish purple flowers in late spring. An interesting alternative to lawn grass. Although it will not tolerate as much foot traffic, it is virtually maintenance-free.

Sun, Shade

Normal

Spring

Purple

Panicum virgatum

Switch Grass 'Dallas Blues'

Grass

Upright, blue-green foliage is complemented by reddish-purple seed heads in summer. Deciduous. Cut to ground in winter when the plant is no longer attractive and wait for next year's show. Sun. 4 feet tall.

Sun

Normal

Summer

Pennisetum aloepecuroides

Dwarf Fountain Grass 'Hameln'

Grass

This Fountain Grass has blooms like creamy white squirrel tails from mid-summer to early autumn. Great for cut flower arrangements.Cut back to 6" in mid winter & wait for spring. Sun to light shade. Drought tolerant.

Sun, Part Shade

Dry, Normal

Summer

White

Pennisetum alopecuroides

Black Fountain Grass 'Moudry'

Grass

Rich, glossy green blades are a handsome backdrop for the large, almost black foxtail-like flower spikes in late summer or early fall. Beautiful along borders. Likes sun.

Sun

Normal

Summer

Pennisetum orientale

Oriental Fountain Grass 'Karley Rose'

Grass

Grow this grass for it's flowers in early to mid summer. Foliage matures at about 3 ft. and flower spikes rise above with delicate pink squirrel tail blooms. Sun to pt. shade.

Sun, Part Shade

Normal

Summer

Pink

Phalaris arundinacea

Ribbon Grass 'Strawberries & Cream'

Grass

Beautiful ornamental grass with leaves striped white, pale green and pink. Clump forming to 24" high. Also called 'Feesey's Form'. Will grow anywhere.

Sun, Part Shade

Dry, Moist

Summer

Phragmites australis

Common Reed 'Variegatus'

Grass

Gorgeous, water-loving grass with intense gold and green variegation. Grows to 4-8 feet. Grows in shallow water to normal garden soils. Likes sun but will grow smaller with less sun. Autumn plume-like flowers are specacular.

Sun, Part Shade

Normal, Wet

Spring

Schizachyrium scoparium

Little Bluestem Grass

Grass

A beautiful clumping native grass found in open grasslands & meadows. Fine bluish-green leaves give rise to 3 ft. slender bronze wands ending in fluffy, silvery flowers heads in August. Red-orange color in autumn.

Sun, Part Sun

Normal

Summer

White

Sesleria caerulea

Blue Moor Grass

Grass

Clump-forming semi-evergreen grass with steely blue on the top side of the leaves and green on the under side. Dark purplish-brown blooms in late summer. Sun-pt. shade. Drought tolerant once established but it appreciates moist soils.

Sun, Part Shade

Normal

Summer

Sporobolus airodes

Alkali Dropseed

Grass

A western native grass that forms 3 ft. high clumps and flower spikes to 5 ft. Foliage turns reddish bronze in autumn. Drought tolerant. Loves sun.

Sun

Normal, Dry

Summer

Stipa neomexicana

New Mexico Feathergrass

Grass

Dramatic and elegant in groups or mass plantings, Feathergrass creates soft undulating masses of very fine leaves, stems and flower heads to 2 ft. Drought tolerant. Cut to the ground in late winter for a fresher look.

Sun

Normal, Dry

Spring

White