22 Ornamental Grass Ideas for Modern Landscapes

Ornamental grasses give a garden movement, texture and color for most of the year, and many need little more than a yearly cutback. They also vary a lot: some want dry sun, others moist shade, and a few popular ones spread so readily that they’re considered invasive in parts of the US.

Below are 22 ways to use ornamental grasses in a modern landscape, each with the conditions it needs and anything to watch out for. Heights, USDA hardiness zones and warnings come from NC State Extension’s Plant Toolbox unless noted.

Before you plant

Match the grass to your site

Check three things before you buy: your USDA hardiness zone, how many hours of direct sun the spot gets, and whether the soil stays wet or dries out. A grass in the wrong conditions flops, thins out or rots. The table below lists each grass’s needs.

Check whether it spreads

Some widely sold grasses seed themselves far beyond the garden. Look up your state’s invasive plant list before planting, and where there’s a choice, pick sterile or low-seeding types: Karl Foerster feather reed grass and giant miscanthus are sterile, for example.

Plan for the yearly cutback

Most ornamental grasses are cut back once a year in late winter or early spring, before new growth starts. Leaving them standing until then keeps their winter structure, and for native grasses such as switchgrass, the seed heads feed birds.

The 22 grasses at a glance

Grass	Height	Light	USDA zones	Note
Karl Foerster feather reed grass	3–5 ft	Sun	5–9	Sterile; flops in shade
Mexican feather grass	1–2 ft	Sun	7–10	Spreads by seed
Blue oat grass	2–3 ft	Sun	4–8	Dislikes wet soil and humid heat
Maiden grass (Miscanthus)	Tall	Sun to part shade	5–9	Invasive in some states
Japanese forest grass	1–1.5 ft	Part to full shade	5–9	Needs consistently moist soil
Purple fountain grass	2–4 ft	Sun	9–11	Annual in colder zones
Switchgrass	3–7 ft	Sun	5–9	Native; feeds wildlife
Pampas grass	6–12 ft	Sun	6–10	Invasive in places; sharp leaves
Tufted hair grass	1.5–3 ft	Light shade	4–9	Moist to wet soil
Little bluestem	2–4 ft	Sun	3–9	Native; very drought tolerant
Black mondo grass	About 6 in	Part shade	6–9	Not a true grass
Zebra grass	6–7 ft	Sun	5–9	Miscanthus with low seed set
Blue fescue	9–12 in	Sun	4–8	Short-lived; divide every 2–3 years
Muhly grass	2–3 ft	Sun	5–9	Pink plumes in fall
New Zealand flax	1–8 ft	Sun to part shade	9–11	Not a true grass
Leatherleaf sedge	1–2 ft	Sun to part shade	6–9	No soggy winter soil
Giant miscanthus	Up to 12 ft	Sun	Check locally	Sterile; 2–3 seasons to establish
Prairie dropseed	2–3 ft	Sun	3–9	Native; slow to establish
Fountain grass	2–4 ft	Sun	6–9	Can self-seed
Weeping brown sedge	1.5–2 ft	Sun to part shade	7–10	Average moist soil
Deer grass	Large clumps	Sun	Check locally	Native to the Southwest

1. Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass as a Vertical Accent

Karl Foerster feather reed grass grows in tight, upright clumps 3 to 5 feet tall. Its plumes appear in early summer, open reddish-pink and fade through bronze to tan, and the stalks stay upright through winter. A row of it along a driveway, fence or path gives a strong, regular vertical rhythm.

Good to know: it’s sterile, so it won’t seed around the garden. Give it full sun: NC State Extension notes it tends to fall over in shade. It’s hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9.

2. Mexican Feather Grass for Airy Texture

Mexican feather grass forms loose mounds of hair-fine leaves 1 to 2 feet tall that sway in the lightest breeze, a soft contrast to concrete, steel and stone.

Good to know: it spreads by seed. NC State Extension says it readily escapes the garden by producing thousands of seeds, that it’s becoming a problem in parts of California, and that it’s considered invasive in Australia. Check your state’s invasive plant list before planting, and in the West consider a native bunchgrass instead.

3. Blue Oat Grass for Cool Color Contrast

Blue oat grass forms steel-blue clumps 2 to 3 feet tall that stand out against warm paving, dark mulch and burgundy or orange plants. Tan, oat-like seed heads follow in summer.

Good to know: it wants full sun and dry, well-drained soil, and is hardy in zones 4 to 8. NC State Extension warns that it’s sensitive to high heat and humidity and can rot in soil that stays wet in winter; ‘Sapphire’ is listed as more rust-resistant.

4. Maiden Grass for Bold Focal Points

Maiden grass is a fine-leaved form of Miscanthus sinensis with an arching, fountain-like shape and silvery plumes in late summer that last into winter. Used as a single specimen at a building corner or the end of a border, it adds height and movement.

Good to know: Miscanthus sinensis is listed as invasive in North Carolina, and NC State Extension recommends considering alternatives. If you grow it, choose a low-seeding or sterile cultivar (‘Scout’ is described as sterile), cut it back in late winter and pull any seedlings.

5. Japanese Forest Grass for Shaded Spaces

Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa) forms soft, cascading mounds 1 to 1.5 feet tall, and its gold-leaved forms brighten shady corners. It spills well over container edges and pairs nicely with hostas, dark-leaved heucheras and astilbes.

Good to know: it needs rich soil that stays consistently moist, and shade from hot sun. It grows slowly, and NC State Extension notes it may not tolerate the hot summers of zones 8 and 9.

6. Purple Fountain Grass for Drama and Color

Purple fountain grass has burgundy leaves and arching burgundy plumes, 2 to 4 feet tall, giving strong color in borders and large containers from summer into fall.

Good to know: it survives winter only in USDA zones 9 to 11 and is grown as an annual elsewhere. NC State Extension notes that this species of fountain grass is considered invasive in some southern West Coast states.

7. Switchgrass for Native Modern Gardens

Switchgrass is a native North American grass, 3 to 4 feet tall in leaf and up to about 7 feet with its plumes. ‘Shenandoah’ has red-tipped leaves and burgundy fall color; ‘Heavy Metal’ is stiff and upright with metallic blue-green leaves.

Good to know: it’s a larval host for skipper butterflies, and songbirds eat the seeds in winter, so leave the seed heads standing until late winter. Grow it in full sun (it can flop in part shade) in zones 5 to 9; it handles wet or dry soil.

8. Pampas Grass as a Statement Plant

Pampas grass produces huge plumes on stems that can reach 6 to 12 feet, so it’s used as a single, dramatic specimen in large spaces. Cut plumes are also popular in dried arrangements indoors.

Good to know: it’s highly invasive in some areas of the United States, and its leaf blades have very sharp edges. Check your state’s invasive plant list first, wear gloves and long sleeves when cutting it back, and keep it away from paths and play areas.

9. Tufted Hair Grass for Wet Areas

Tufted hair grass forms fine, dark-green tufts 1.5 to 3 feet tall, with clouds of airy flowers in summer. It suits low spots, pond edges and rain gardens where the soil stays damp.

Good to know: it does best in light to moderate shade and moist soil, and is hardy in zones 4 to 9. NC State Extension notes that full sun reduces the quality of its leaves and flowers.

10. Little Bluestem for Fall Fire

Little bluestem is a native grass 2 to 4 feet tall with blue-green summer leaves that turn warm copper-orange in fall and hold their color into winter.

Good to know: it needs full sun but tolerates poor, dry and clay soils, and it’s very drought tolerant once established (zones 3 to 9). It’s a larval host plant for skipper butterflies and is highly deer resistant.

11. Black Mondo Grass for Dark Drama

Black mondo grass isn’t a true grass (it belongs to the asparagus family), but its near-black leaves, about 6 inches tall in the cultivar ‘Nigrescens’, give strong contrast against pale gravel, paving and silver or gold plants.

Good to know: it spreads slowly, so plant it closely if you want a carpet between stepping stones. Give it part shade; it’s hardy in zones 6 to 9. Small pink summer flowers are followed by berries.

12. Zebra Grass for Bold Texture

Zebra grass is a Miscanthus sinensis cultivar, 6 to 7 feet tall, with yellow bands across its arching leaves. The banding shows best in bright light, against plain green or dark foliage.

Good to know: it’s the same species listed as invasive in North Carolina, although NC State Extension notes that ‘Zebrinus’ has a low seed set. Remove any seedlings and cut it back in late winter.

13. Blue Fescue as a Compact Accent

Blue fescue forms dense blue-gray tufts 9 to 12 inches tall that work as edging, in rock gardens or repeated in a grid across a gravel garden. It pairs well with orange and rust-toned plants and succulents.

Good to know: it needs full sun and well-drained soil (zones 4 to 8) and declines in wet soil and hot, humid summers. It’s short-lived, so divide clumps every two to three years; ‘Boulder Blue’ is noted for better heat and humidity tolerance.

14. Muhly Grass for Pink Cloud Effects

Muhly grass is native from the central and eastern US to Mexico. From September to November it produces airy pink to purplish plumes; planted in groups, it reads as a pink haze across the bed. It’s 2 to 3 feet tall.

Good to know: it flowers best in full sun and tolerates heat, humidity, drought, poor soil and salt, in zones 5 to 9.

15. New Zealand Flax for Architectural Impact

New Zealand flax isn’t a true grass (it’s in the daylily family), but its bold, sword-shaped leaves in burgundy, bronze, lime or striped forms fill the same architectural role in beds and large pots.

Good to know: NC State Extension says it isn’t reliably hardy below zone 9 and dislikes excessive summer heat, though it’s highly salt tolerant. In colder areas, grow it in a container and bring it indoors or into a greenhouse for winter.

16. Sedge as a Fine-Textured Ground Cover

Sedges (Carex) are grass-like plants, and many handle shade and moist soil better than true grasses. Leatherleaf sedge (Carex buchananii) has coppery-bronze leaves; palm sedge (Carex muskingumensis) has bright green, palm-like leaves.

Good to know: needs vary by species, so check the label. Leatherleaf sedge, for example, is hardy in zones 6 to 9, grows in sun or part shade and won’t tolerate overly wet soil in winter.

17. Giant Silvergrass for Privacy Screening

Giant miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus) reaches up to 12 feet, according to Penn State Extension, so a row of it makes a tall seasonal screen with silvery plumes.

Good to know: Penn State Extension describes it as a sterile hybrid, so it doesn’t spread by seed, and says it takes two to three growing seasons to establish; the first winter is the riskiest. Remember it’s a seasonal screen: after the late-winter cutback, there’s a gap until spring growth fills in.

18. Prairie Dropseed for Naturalistic Planting

Prairie dropseed forms fine-textured mounds about 15 inches tall, with flower stalks rising to around 3 feet. Its flowers, from August to October, have a scent often compared to coriander or buttered popcorn, and the leaves turn orange in fall.

Good to know: it’s slow to establish but long-lived. Give it full sun and dry to medium, well-drained soil (zones 3 to 9). The USDA lists it as endangered in seven eastern states, so buy nursery-grown plants rather than collecting them.

19. Fountain Grass in Container Displays

A single fountain grass in a tall container or planter box makes a movable focal point for a patio, terrace or entrance. For a mixed pot, combine it with trailing sweet potato vine, coleus or bacopa.

Good to know: Chinese fountain grass (Cenchrus alopecuroides) can spread by wind-blown seed; NC State Extension says it has escaped gardens in some areas, and some cultivars such as ‘Hameln’ can self-seed aggressively. Cut off the seed heads before they ripen.

20. Mixed Grass Border for Layered Design

A border made only of grasses changes through the year. Put tall grasses at the back, medium ones like little bluestem or prairie dropseed in the middle, and low blue fescue at the front, and choose a mix of bloom times: Karl Foerster flowers in early summer, prairie dropseed from August, muhly grass from September.

Good to know: group grasses with similar needs. Blue fescue and little bluestem both like sun and dry soil, while tufted hair grass wants moist ground and some shade.

21. Weeping Brown Sedge for Warm Tones

Weeping brown sedge (Carex flagellifera) forms arching, coppery-brown clumps 1.5 to 2 feet tall. Its warm color works with corten steel, terracotta and weathered timber.

Good to know: it’s hardy in zones 7 to 10 and grows in sun or part shade in average, moist garden soil.

22. Deer Grass for Water-Wise Landscapes

Deer grass (Muhlenbergia rigens) is native to California and the Southwest. It forms large, rounded clumps with slender flower spikes in summer, and suits water-wise gardens in warm, dry regions.

Good to know: it needs little water once established, but water it during its first dry seasons. Planted in groups of three to seven, it makes a cohesive base layer under desert trees and shrubs.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Planting a grass that spreads by seed without checking your state’s invasive plant list.
• Putting sun-loving grasses such as blue fescue or little bluestem in shade, where they flop or thin out.
• Planting blue oat grass or blue fescue in soil that stays wet.
• Cutting grasses down in fall and losing their winter structure (and the seed heads birds eat).
• Expecting slow growers such as prairie dropseed or Japanese forest grass to fill in during the first year.

Ornamental grass FAQs

When should I cut back ornamental grasses?

In late winter or early spring, before new growth starts. Leaving them standing through winter keeps their structure and, for native grasses, provides food and cover for birds.

Which ornamental grasses can be invasive?

In parts of the US, Miscanthus sinensis (including maiden and zebra grass), pampas grass, Mexican feather grass and some fountain grasses spread beyond gardens. Check your state’s invasive plant list.

Which ornamental grasses grow in shade?

Japanese forest grass, tufted hair grass (light shade), black mondo grass and many sedges.

Which grasses suit a dry, sunny yard?

Little bluestem, prairie dropseed, muhly grass and blue fescue, and in the Southwest, deer grass.