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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteFor a low-maintenance ornamental grass, match the plant to your sun, soil drainage, climate and available space. Most need little attention once established, but some self-seed or spread beyond their clumps. The ten grasses below are promising candidates—not a universal ranking. Check local extension advice and invasive-plant rules, and confirm that the cultivar suits your site before buying.
How to choose an ornamental grass
Start with the conditions you can provide, then consider the plant’s mature height and how it spreads. Iowa State University Extension organizes its recommendations by height, light, moisture, seasonal color and growth habit; the University of Maryland Extension provides additional regional guidance for several of these plants.
- Sun and shade: Most ornamental grasses perform best in full sun and may become floppy in too much shade. Northern sea oats tolerates part shade, but verify conditions for any species in your region.
- Drainage and moisture: Blue fescue needs excellent drainage; little bluestem favors dry soil. Site requirements vary, so do not assume a grass will thrive simply because it is drought tolerant once established.
- Size and habit: Check mature height and width against the space. Clumping grasses are often easier to contain than plants that spread by rhizomes, stolons or self-seeding.
- Seasonal timing: Warm-season grasses emerge later, grow through summer and brown after frost; cool-season grasses start earlier, slow in summer and may green up again in autumn. Iowa’s late-May or early-June emergence for warm-season grasses is regional guidance, not a nationwide calendar.
For more selection criteria, see Iowa State’s ornamental-grass selection guide and the University of Maryland Extension’s landscape grass guide.
10 perennial grasses to consider
1. Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
This native warm-season grass brings blue-green foliage and rosy to orange autumn color. Maryland guidance describes plants about 1½–3 feet tall that prefer full sun and dry soil. Cultivars include ‘Standing Ovation’, ‘Cimmaron’ and ‘Smoke Signal’. It can self-seed, so consider where seedlings would be welcome.
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#1 Best Overall
- Pampas grass is a large, ornamental grass with unmistakable feathery white plumes.
- This adorable ornamental is easy to grow and looks great in the garden and containers.
- It's a wonderful addition to the cutting garden, as it makes a fun filler in floral arrangements.
- Best gift for novice gardener and experienced grower.
2. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
A taller native option, switchgrass is listed at 3–6 feet in Maryland guidance and suits full sun to part shade. Iowa State highlights colorful cultivars including ‘Rehbraun’, ‘Rotstrahlbusch’, ‘Prairie Fire’, ‘Cheyenne Sky’, ‘Shenandoah’ and ‘Hot Rod’. The Iowa source spells the ‘Shenandoah’ name as “Shanadoah”; check the cultivar label when shopping. Switchgrass may self-seed.
3. Blue fescue (Festuca glauca)
Blue fescue forms a compact clump of fine-textured blue foliage, making it a useful short accent. Maryland Extension describes it as drought tolerant but emphasizes excellent drainage and better performance in cooler areas. ‘Elijah Blue’, ‘Blue Whiskers’ and ‘Beyond Blue’ are named cultivars. It may self-seed.
Rank #2
- Stipa tenuissima is commonly known as Mexican Feather Grass, and it a lovely perennial ornamental grass. It has a mounding habit with thin flexible leaves that form thick green clumps.
- Grow as a perennial ornamental grass in USDA zones 6 - 10. Reaches a low growing heifght of 16 inches with white plumes.
- The flowers usually appear in June and turn from green to gold as they mature. They work well planted in containers as well as directly in the garden. They are especially attractive at night with garden lights.
- Sowing Rate: 5 - 6 seeds per plant. Start the seed indoors 4 – 6 weeks before the end of frost season. Press the seed into the soil and lightly cover. Keep the seeds moist until germination. With a temperature range of 68 – 72F, germination is usually within 21 days.
- Transplant the ornamental grass outdoors after frost danger has passed. Space the plants 12 inches apart.
4. Feather reed grass (Calamagrostis × acutiflora)
This upright, slender, non-native grass grows about 3–5 feet tall in Maryland guidance and produces golden, feathery seed heads. ‘Karl Foerster’ is the commonly planted cultivar cited by the extension source. Check local invasive-plant rules and the selected cultivar’s behavior before planting.
5. Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis)
A short, strongly clumping grass, prairie dropseed is listed at 2–3 feet in Maryland guidance. Its ripening seed heads form a haze that shows best in mass plantings, so a single plant may make a subtler display than a group.
Rank #3
- Eragrostis spectabilis is commonly called Purple Love Grass. It is native to the United States both in the east and Midwest. It grows well on sandy infertile soils, and it prefers a location in full sun. Purple Love Grass forms clumps of coarse grass blades. The grass transforms in late summer when the purple colored flowers form.
- Purple love grass grows as a perennial ornamental grass in USDA zones 5 - 10 reaching a height of 20 inches.
- It becomes are haze of rosy purple and dances in the summer breezes making an attractive addition to any landscape. In the fall the foliage turns to a bronze color.
- Uses include naturalizing a landscape or wildlife garden. Purple Love Grass provides cover for ground birds and attracts butterflies. Start the seed indoors 4 – 6 weeks before the end of frost season, or directly sow seed outdoors after frosts have passed
- Sowing Rate: 3 seeds per plant. Press the seed into the soil but do not cover it. Germination is usually in 21 days with temperature ranging from 68 – 72F. This perennial ornamental spreads slowly by rhizomes, and it also will re-seed itself.
6. Purple lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis)
This native, 1–2-foot grass is valued for airy purple seed heads. Maryland Extension describes it as tolerant of drought and low-fertility soil. Confirm that its light and soil needs fit your site.
7. Pink muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris)
Pink muhly produces clouds of pink seed heads and is listed at 2–3 feet in Maryland guidance, for full sun to part shade. Maryland describes it as rare in that state; that status should not be generalized to other regions. Iowa State includes it among short, warm-season grasses.
Rank #4
- STRIKING SMOKY PURPLE-BLACK PLUMES: This Black Fountain Grass features fuzzy, smoky purple-black flower spikes that emerge in late summer, creating a stunning contrast with its deep green foliage. The plumes add a dramatic touch to your garden that lasts well into the fall.
- GREAT FOR SUNNY LANDSCAPES: Can flourish in sunny gardens, Pennisetum Viridescens thrives in full sun and adds an elegant touch to borders or mass plantings, where its plumes will sway gracefully in the breeze.
- HARDY & DROUGHT-TOLERANT: Once established, this perennial is highly drought-tolerant and resilient, able to withstand a variety of soil types (except poorly drained soils), making it work for low-maintenance gardens.
- EXCELLENT FOR COOLER CLIMATES: Great for northern regions or areas with cooler summers, this hardy ornamental grass will flourish in cooler climates, providing beauty in gardens that experience milder conditions.
- EASY TO GROW & LOW MAINTENANCE: Easily grown from seed, Black Fountain Grass requires minimal care once established. Simply cut back the plants in early spring and apply a modest spring fertilizer to keep them healthy and vibrant.
8. Blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis)
Iowa State lists blue grama among grasses under three feet tall with flowers. The selection information supports it as a compact candidate, but does not establish its suitability for every region or moisture condition. Check local guidance before choosing it.
9. Blue oatgrass (Helictotrichon sempervirens)
Iowa State identifies blue oatgrass as short and strongly clump-forming, useful traits for a contained accent planting. Local advice is important for confirming its growing conditions and appropriate cultivar for your area.
Best Value
- Pampas grass is ornamental. Fresh green foliage reaches 8 to 12 feet tall, topped by long, thick silky "featherdusters"
- Pampas ornamental grass grows fairly fast making it an ideal choice for filling in large, barren landscapes
- It will grow in most soils with hardly any work. Low to no maintenance. You can shear ornamental grasses each winter so that new growth comes out clean in Spring
- Cortaderia selloana Pampas Grass has long, graceful blades and fluffy panicles that are beautiful
- Pampas Grass for wind protection and disguising unwanted scenery
10. Northern sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)
Northern sea oats tolerates part shade and has a distinctive place in Iowa State’s selection list; Maryland guidance gives a height range of 2–5 feet. It self-seeds, and Maryland Extension warns of aggressive spread. In a small garden, choose a better-behaved option or plant it where seedlings can be removed and spread controlled.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Keeping ornamental grasses low-maintenance
After establishment, most ornamental grasses generally need watering during drought and rarely need fertilizer. Iowa State suggests a spring application only when growth looks pale, weak or floppy. Follow local guidance for watering during establishment, since needs vary with climate, soil and rainfall.
Grasses can provide structure and winter interest, and work as specimen plants, screens, borders, accents or companions to spring bulbs. Their seasonal appearance is part of the choice: many warm-season grasses turn brown after the first frost, while some cool-season grasses may green up again in autumn. See Iowa State’s home-landscape guidance for maintenance and landscape uses.
Check spread and local suitability before planting
“Low maintenance” does not mean “no management.” Iowa State flags blue lyme grass, Japanese blood grass, Amur silver grass and ribbon grass as aggressive spreaders, and identifies self-seeding among blue fescue, switchgrass, little bluestem and perennial fountain grass. Those examples are a reminder to check the exact species and cultivar, not a complete list of risks everywhere. Maryland Extension advises avoiding invasive grasses and notes that local regulations may prohibit some non-native species. Consult your local extension service and current invasive-plant rules before purchasing.
When cultivar trials can help
Little bluestem received the Perennial Plant Association’s 2022 Perennial Plant of the Year recognition, as reported by the University of Minnesota. The same university article reports that Prairie Munchkin, Jazz and Carrousel earned five-star performance in a Chicago Botanic Garden evaluation of ten little bluestem cultivars lasting at least three years. It also says Blue Heaven received the highest ratings in 2012–2015 National Grass Trials research from several states, and advises choosing cultivars whose origin is close to the gardener’s region. These are cultivar-specific findings, not a comparison of all ten grasses in this guide; see the University of Minnesota’s 2022 little bluestem article.
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