By Lynn Kuhn | Special to Lake Panorama Times
Fall is upon us. The air is brisk, and the landscape looks a little different with each passing day. I can’t get enough of the autumnal hues, falling leaves and softly swaying grasses. It’s my favorite time of the year.
Speaking of grasses, I’ve been recommending ornamental grasses of any type to enhance the fall garden for many years. It’s difficult to resist the graceful plumes and lovely foliage. But those days are over. I’ve learned how some very popular grasses become invasive, choking out other plants in the garden as well as natural areas we hold dear. I’ve also learned there are nuances about what is or is not considered invasive. There are words like sterile, non-fertile, lower-fertility and eco-friendly sprinkled through the articles and research on this topic, plus good intentioned “invasive plant lists” that ignore region, climate and recent introductions of cultivars that are specifically bred to be non-invasive. As a bonus, these new non-invasive plants put less energy into seed production and more energy into foliage and flowers, resulting in vigorous beautiful plants.
With all of this in mind, I thought I’d share a list of ornamental grasses and associated cultivars I no longer recommend, along with some well-behaved new cultivars to try in the landscape here in central Iowa.
INVASIVE GRASSES TO AVOID
Miscanthus sinensis (Maiden Grass, Chinese Silver Grass, Japanese Silver Grass, and often mistakenly referred to as Pampas Grass)
- Gracillimus
- Morning Light
- Zebrinus
- Adagio
- Silberfeder
Pennisetum alopecuroides (Fountain Grass)
- Hameln
- Little Bunny
- Piglet
- Desert Plains
- Burgundy Bunny
NON-INVASIVE GRASSES TO TRY
Miscanthus sinensis (Maiden Grass) Hardy to zone 5, unless noted otherwise
- Purpurescens (Purple Maiden Grass)
- My Fair Maiden™
- Morning Sun
- Giganteus Hardy to zone 4
- Bandwidth
- High Frequency
- Scout
- Cabaret
Pennisetum (Fountain Grass) Hardy to zone 5
- Cayenne
- Etouffee
- Hush Puppy
- Jambalaya
- Praline
Panicum virgatum (Switchgrass) Hardy to zone 4*
- Northwind
- Heavy Metal
- Cloud Nine
- Shenandoah
- Ruby Ribbons
- Cape Breeze
Sporobolus heterolepsis (Prairie Dropseed) Hardy to zone 4*
- Tara
- Morning Mist
- straight species
Calamagrostis x acutiflora (Feather Reed Grass)
- Karl Foerster
Bouteloua curtipendula (Side Oats Grama)*
- Blonde Ambition
*Native grasses
As we ease into colder temps and shorter days, I encourage you to notice and enjoy the seasonal interest of ornamental grasses in the community. Although they are very beautiful, be aware that some are problematic and opportunistic, while others are perfectly well-behaved.
Written by Lynn Kuhn, author of “Conversation Gardens: Where Conversations Flow and Relationships Grow.” She is a landscape architect, speaker and owner of Conversation Gardens (formerly Outdoor Transformations). You can reach Lynn at lynn@conversationgardens.com or www.conversationgardens.com.
Panicum virgatum ‘Heavy Metal’ 4-6’ tall at maturity
Sporobolus heterolepsis ‘Tara’ 24” tall at maturity
Miscanthus sinensis XGiganteus 10’ tall at maturity
Miscanthus sinensis High Frequency™ 4-5’ tall at maturity