Ornamental Grass Comparison Matrix

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This page contains a comparison matrix of all of our grasses. You can easily compare the many characteristics as listed below. Many folks have found this table to be extremely useful for determining the grass to put into their garden.

Grass Name - Genus and species and cultivar
Blade W x L - Grass blade maximum width x length in inches
Foliage H x W - Foliage height x width in inches
Plume H x L x W - Plume height x length x segment width in inches
Variegated - Additional stripes or bands of white/cream/yellow on leafs
Drought Resistant - Can tolerate being neglected
Moisture Resistant - Thrives, or can tolerate excessively wet soil
Shade Tolerant - Tolerates in shady conditions
Specimen - Make it a center piece!
Edger - Great for bordering garden beds
Groundcover - Need to cover an area, here is a good one!
Background - Generally the taller plants, used for privacy or background accents
Rock Garden - Useful plant for rock gardens (tolerates dry conditions)
Early Pluming - Plumes before August 15th
Great (My Favorites)
Exceptional Summer Performance - Exceptionally great looking foliage
Exceptional Fall Performance - Exceptionally great looking plumes
Native Grass (Midwest USA)
Invasive - Will slowly or quickly overtake an area if you do not dig back yearly
Dried Arrangements - Plumes are great and long lasting for dried flower arrangements

Grass Name

Blade
W x L

Foliage
H x W

Plume
H x L x W

V
A
R
G
T
E
D

D
R
Y

W
E
T

S
H
A
D
E

S
P
E
C
I
M
E
N

E
D
G
E
R

G
R
O
U
N
D

B
A
C
K

R
O
C
K

E
A
R
L
Y

G
R
E
A
T

S
U
M
M
E
R

F
A
L
L

N
A
T
I
V
E

I
N
V
A
S
I
V
E

D
R
I
E
D

Arundo donax

3 x

156 x 96

168 x 12.00 x 0.00

Arundo donax 'Variegata'

3 x

96 x 96

96 x 0.00 x 0.00

Calamagrostis brachytricha

1/2 x 18

36 x 48

48 x 12.00 x 3.50

Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Avalanche'

1/4 x 24

32 x 32

72 x 9.00 x 2.50

Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Eldorado'

1/4 x 24

24 x 24

60 x 0.00 x 0.00

Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Overdam'

1/4 x 18

26 x 18

46 x 9.00 x 2.00

Calamagrostis x acutifolia 'Karl Foerster'

1/4 x 24

32 x 32

72 x 9.00 x 2.50

Carex elata 'Aurea'

5/16 x 30

20 x 24

30 x x

Carex muskingumensis 'Little Midge'

10 x 20

10 x 0.00 x 0.00

Carex muskingumensis 'Oehme'

24 x 20

24 x 0.00 x 0.00

Deschampsia caespitosa 'Schottland'

1/8 x 8

24 x 30

44 x 10.00 x 5.00

Festuca glauca 'Boulder Blue'

8 x 16

30 x 0.00 x 0.00

Helictotrichon sempervirens 'Sapphire'

3/16 x 24

24 x 34

36 x x

Imperata cylindrica 'Red Baron'

x 0

20 x 0

24 x 0.00 x 0.00

Miscanthus 'Giganteus'

1 1/4 x 38

96 x 72

120 x 20.00 x 10.00

Grass Name

Blade
W x L

Foliage
H x W

Plume
H x L x W

V
A
R
G
T
E
D

D
R
Y

W
E
T

S
H
A
D
E

S
P
E
C
I
M
E
N

E
D
G
E
R

G
R
O
U
N
D

B
A
C
K

R
O
C
K

E
A
R
L
Y

G
R
E
A
T

S
U
M
M
E
R

F
A
L
L

N
A
T
I
V
E

I
N
V
A
S
I
V
E

D
R
I
E
D

Miscanthus sinensis 'Blondo'

x 0

60 x 45

72 x 0.00 x 0.00

Miscanthus sinensis 'Bluttenwonder'

x 0

60 x 48

72 x x

Miscanthus sinensis 'Gold Bar'

x 0

36 x 30

60 x 0.00 x 0.00

Miscanthus sinensis 'Gracillimus'

1/4 x 40

75 x 80

90 x 12.00 x 7.00

Miscanthus sinensis 'Graziella'

3/8 x 30

60 x 48

78 x 12.00 x 8.00

Miscanthus sinensis 'Huron Sunrise'

60 x 60

72 x 0.00 x 0.00

Miscanthus sinensis 'Kaskade'

5/8 x 36

80 x 65

100 x 15.00 x 10.00

Miscanthus sinensis 'Malepartus'

5/8 x 23

40 x 36

72 x 12.00 x 9.00

Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light'

3/16 x 36

66 x 48

60 x x

Miscanthus sinensis 'Nippon'

7/16 x 18

39 x 48

60 x 11.00 x 6.00

Miscanthus sinensis 'Puenktchen'

5/8 x 27

54 x 64

80 x 10.00 x 7.00

Miscanthus sinensis 'Purpurascens'

3/8 x 18

48 x 24

60 x 6.00 x 6.00

Miscanthus sinensis 'Rigoletto'

36 x 36

48 x x

Miscanthus sinensis 'Silberpfeil'

1/4 x 20

60 x 72

72 x 10.00 x 6.00

Miscanthus sinensis 'Strictus'

5/8 x 13

77 x 60

84 x x

Grass Name

Blade
W x L

Foliage
H x W

Plume
H x L x W

V
A
R
G
T
E
D

D
R
Y

W
E
T

S
H
A
D
E

S
P
E
C
I
M
E
N

E
D
G
E
R

G
R
O
U
N
D

B
A
C
K

R
O
C
K

E
A
R
L
Y

G
R
E
A
T

S
U
M
M
E
R

F
A
L
L

N
A
T
I
V
E

I
N
V
A
S
I
V
E

D
R
I
E
D

Miscanthus sinensis 'Udine'

48 x 48

72 x 0.00 x 0.00

Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus'

7/8 x 20

77 x 72

86 x 9.00 x 7.00

Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal'

3/8 x 13

42 x 36

64 x 12.00 x 6.00

Panicum virgatum 'Huron Solstice'

x 0

42 x 30

48 x 0.00 x 0.00

Panicum virgatum 'Northwind'

5/8 x 25

72 x 36

72 x 18.00 x 6.00

Panicum virgatum 'Prairie Fire'

x 0

36 x 24

48 x 0.00 x 0.00

Panicum virgatum 'Red Sunset'

x 0

36 x 24

48 x 0.00 x 0.00

Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah'

36 x 24

48 x x

Panicum virgatum 'Thundercloud'

x 0

96 x 60

96 x 0.00 x 0.00

Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Cassian'

1/4 x 24

30 x 48

40 x 0.00 x 0.00

Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln'

1/4 x 24

24 x 48

36 x 3.50 x 1.50

Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Japonicum'

48 x 72

60 x 0.00 x 0.00

Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Little Bunny'

1/8 x 6

10 x 18

20 x 2.50 x 1.25

Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Little Honey'

1/16 x 3

6 x 15

16 x 2.00 x 1.00

Pennisetum setaceum

3/4 x 26

48 x 48

64 x 15.00 x

Grass Name

Blade
W x L

Foliage
H x W

Plume
H x L x W

V
A
R
G
T
E
D

D
R
Y

W
E
T

S
H
A
D
E

S
P
E
C
I
M
E
N

E
D
G
E
R

G
R
O
U
N
D

B
A
C
K

R
O
C
K

E
A
R
L
Y

G
R
E
A
T

S
U
M
M
E
R

F
A
L
L

N
A
T
I
V
E

I
N
V
A
S
I
V
E

D
R
I
E
D

Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum'

3/4 x 26

48 x 48

64 x 15.00 x 2.00

Saccharum ravennae

3/4 x 62

60 x 60

170 x 26.00 x 12.00

Schizachyrium scoparium

3/16 x 6

16 x 24

39 x x

Sporobolus heterolepsis

1/16 x 20

10 x 24

40 x 7.00 x 2.00

Labelled With