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Turfgrass Information

Ornamental Grasses for the Midwest Arranged by Height

Common NameGenus SpeciesMap #Advertised HeightZone
Buffalo GrassBuchloe dactyloides54 - 8"Zone 4
FescueFestuca glauca 'Elija's Blue'216 - 10"Zone 4
Blue SedgeCarex glauca146 - 12"Zone 5
Wood RushLuzula 'Ruby Stiletto'298 - 12"hardy
Blue GramaBouteloua gracilis48 - 15"Zone 3
FescueFestuca cinerea 'Dwarf'2010Zone 4
Miniature Fountain GrassPennisetum alopecuroides 'Little Bunny'5310 - 12Zone 5-9
Blue Autumn Moor GrassSesleria caerulea6312Zone 4
Dwarf Ribbon GrassPhalaris arundinacea 'Dwarf Garters'5812 - 15Zone 4
Autumn Moor GrassSesleria autumnalis6212 - 15Zone 5
Grasshopper SedgeCarex sp. 'Grasshopper'1012 - 16Zone 5
Pink Crystals Ruby Grass (Annual)Melinis nerviglumis 'Savannah'3112 - 24Zone 9
Bowles Golden SedgeCarex elata 'Bowles Golden'1312 - 24Zone 5
Capriccio StipaStipa lessingiana6712 - 24Zone 6
Golden Variegated Hakone GrassHakonechloa macra 'Aureola'2312 - 36Zone 4
Prairie DropseedSporobolus heterolepsis6612 - 36Zone 3
JunegrassKoeleria cristata2712 - 72Zone 3-9
Blue LovegrassEragrostis elliotii1918Zone 5-9
Dwarf Fountain GrassPennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln'5218 - 30Zone 5-9
Greater Wood RushLuzula sylvatica3020Zone 4
Oehme Palm SedgeCarex muskingumensis 'Oehme'1624"Zone 4
Palm SedgeCarex muskingumensis1724"Zone 4
National Arboretum Fountain GrassPennisetum alopecuroides 'National Arboretum'5424"Zone 6
Princess NapiergrassPennisetum purpureum 'Princess'5624 - 36Zone 7-11
Fox Red Curly SedgeCarex buchananii1124 - 36Zone 5
LovegrassEragrostis elliotii 'Wind Dancer'1824 - 36"Zone 6
Clustered FescueFestuca paradoxa2224 - 48"hardy
Bottlebrush GrassHystrix patula2424 - 60"Zone 3
Gray's Sedge/Mace SedgeCarex grayi1536"hardy
Sideoats gramaBouteloua curtipendula336"Zone 4
Rough DropseedSporobolus aspera6536"Zone 5
Little BluestemSchizachyrium scoparium6036"Zone 3
Juncus Blue ArrowsJuncus inflexus2536"Zone 5-9
The Blues Little BluestemSchizachyrium scoparium 'The Blues'6136"Zone 3 
Yaku Jima Dwarf Maiden GrassMiscanthus sinensis 'Yaku Jima'4536 - 48"Zone 5
Blue Dune Lyme GrassLeymus arenarius 'Blue Dune'2836 - 48"hardy
Fountain Grass, National ArboretumPennisetum alopercuroides5136 - 60"Zone 8-11
Overdam Feather Reed GrassCalamagrostis x acutiflora 'Overdam'936 - 60"Zone 4
Foerster's Feather Reed GrassCalamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'836 - 60"Zone 5-9
Bluejoint GrassCalamagrostis canadensis636 - 60"Zone 3
Shenandoah Red Switch GrassPanicum virgatum 'Shenandoah'5048"Zone 5
Oriental Fountain GrassPennisetum orientale 'Karley Rose'5548"Zone 6
Little Kitten Dwarf Maiden GrassMiscanthus sinensis 'Little Kitten'3648"Zone 5
Dwarf Zebra GrassMiscanthus sinensis 'Little Zebra'3748"Zone 6
Flame GrassMiscanthus 'Purpurescens'3948 - 60"Zone 4
Little Dot Maiden GrassMiscanthus sinensis 'Little Dot'3348 - 60"Zone 6
Switch GrassPanicum virgatum4748 - 96"Zone 4
Cloud NinePanicum virgatum 48 - 96" 
Porcupine GrassMiscanthus sinensis 'Strictus'4348 - 108"Zone 5-9
Purple Fountain Grass (Annual)Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum'5760"Zone 9 
Prairie Sky Switch GrassPanicum virgatum 'Prairie Sky'4960"Zone 5
Adagio Dwarf Maiden GrassMiscanthus sinensis 'Adagio'3460"Zone 6
Juncus JavelinJuncus pallidus2660"hardy
Red Silver Maiden GrassMiscanthus sinensis 'Rotsilber'4060 - 84"hardy
Big BluestemAndropogon gerardii160 - 96"Zone 3
Indian GrassSorghastrum nutans6460 - 96"Zone 3
Snowline SedgeCarex cornica 'Snowline'1272"Zone 5
Dallas Blues Switch GrassPanicum virgatum 'Dallas Blues'4872"Zone 4
Silver Feather GrassMiscanthus sinensis 'Silberfeder'4184"Zone 4
Silver Arrow GrassMiscanthus sinensis 'Silberfeil'4284"Zone 5
Morning Light Maiden GrassMiscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light'3884"Zone 5
Moor GrassMolinia arundinacea 'Skyracer'4684"Zone 4
Variegated Maiden GrassMiscanthus sinensis 'Variegatus'4484"Zone 5
Maiden GrassMiscanthus sinensis 'Gracillimus'3584 - 120"Zone 5
Eastern Gamma GrassTripsacum dactyloides6896"Zone 5
Giant Chinese Silver GrassMiscanthus floridulus 'Giganteus'3296 - 180"Zone 4-9
Hardy Pampas Grass/Ravenna GrassErianthus ravennae / Saccharum ravennae59168Zone 6
Variegated Giant ReedArundo donax variegata2168Zone 6