Let’s Get Growing! April 6, 2019 Ornamental Grasses for Minnesota Marge Sagstetter, UMN Extension, Washington County Master Gardener

Title slide: variegated or striped corn, Zea mays ‘Variegata’; and feathertop , Pennisetum villosum Noerenberg Gardens, part of Three Rivers Park District, Molinia ‘Skyracer’ left; Calamagrostis xacutiflora ‘Karl Forester’ feather reed grass, center, the red fall color on Schizachryium scoparium ‘MinnBlue A’ Blue Heaven TM and far right Bouteloua gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition’. Features of Ornamental Grasses: Few insect or disease problems Require little or no supplemental fertilizer Little maintenance except spring cut-back More than one season of interest Deer resistant, whitetail deer damage is rare Fast growing Wide variation in texture, height and foliage color Movement: audio and visual

 Helictotrichon sempervirens blue oatgrass  Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’ with blue or pastel flowers such as Phlox divaricata ‘Charles Ricardo’ or with blue star, Laurentia axillaris ‘Blue Star’  Calamagrostis xacutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ feather reedgrass  Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’ switchgrass  Miscanthus sinensis ‘Graziella’, Picea abies ‘Acrocona Norway spruce  Miscanthus sinensis ‘Purpurascens, red flame miscanthus  Miscanthus xgiganteus giant miscanthus Cool Season Grass Characteristics: Almost evergreen; lawn grasses; early to grow in spring; dormant in summer; grow again in fall; brown top (flowers), green base. Warm Season Grass Characteristics: Slow to grow in spring; grow all summer; brown with first frost; like hot weather; drought tolerant.

Many grasses are hardy in USDA Zone 4 and only a few have invasive root systems.  ‘Jade Princess’ ornamental millet  Spodiopogon sibiricus silver spikegrass  Calamagrostis brachytricha fall blooming reedgrass  Molinia caerulea ssp. arundinacea ‘Windspiel' windplay moorgrass  Schizachryium scoparium ‘MinnBlue A’ Blue Heaven TM little bluestem, and ‘Tara’ prairie dropseed  Sporobolus heterolepi prairie dropseed  Pennisetum advena fountain grass  Pennisetum setaceum annual fountain grass; Cleome ‘Senorita Rosalita’ Four main native grasses in tallgrass prairie:  Andropogon gerardi, Big bluestem  Sorgastrum nutans Indian grass,  Schizachyrium scopariu, Little bluestem,

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 Panicum virgatu, switch grass

Grasses and Sedges for Shade:  Carex flacca (has rhizomes) Carnation sedge  Carex elata ‘Aurea’ ,Bowles Golden Sedge  Carex ‘Ice Dance’ Carex muskingumemsis palm sedge  Deschampsia caespitosa tufted hairgrass  Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’ hakone grass

Grasses with Rhizomes:  Leymus (Elymus) – blue rye  Phalaris – ribbon grass  Spartina – prairie cordgrass, good native for lakeshore plantings; Spartina pectinata ‘Aureomarginata  Miscanthus sacchariflorus - not recommended, can be invasive and problematic; escaped in parts of the Midwest DO NOT SHARE OR PLANT THIS GRASS!  Miscanthus sinensis- Bunchgrass; many cultivars  Miscanthus xgiganteus- Giant, no seeds, biomass interest

Miscanthus should only be planted in managed landscapes where it can be watched for self-seeding. See: http://horticulture.umn.edu/miscanthus  Miscanthus ‘Purpurascens’ red flame miscanthus  Miscanthus sinensis ‘Silberfeder’  Miscanthus sinensis ‘Variegatus’  Miscanthus sinensis‘Zebrinus’, right, and ‘Strictus’, left  Miscanthus xgiganteus giant miscanthus

Grass Culture and Maintenance Spring planting Mature height = spacing Divide as necessary Spring cut back Winter protection for marginally hardy kinds Cool Season Grass Maintenance Rake or remove dead foliage in spring Cutback very early before new growth begins Can be mowed high Less of a problem with no cutback DO NOT BURN, unless there is no green growth showing

Ornamental Grasses for Cold Climates 55 page publication is available at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum gift shop; the Minnesota State Horticultural Society; or online: http://www.arboretum.umn.edu/giftstore.aspx. For more gardening information: www.extension.umn.edu.

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