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Ornamental Grasses Cheryl Kaiser1 and Matt Ernst2 Introduction Ornamental Grasses Are Popular for Use in Commercial and Homeowner Landscapes

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Ornamental Grasses Cheryl Kaiser1 and Matt Ernst2 Introduction Ornamental Grasses Are Popular for Use in Commercial and Homeowner Landscapes Center for Crop Diversification Crop Profile CCD-CP-73 Ornamental Grasses Cheryl Kaiser1 and Matt Ernst2 Introduction Ornamental grasses are popular for use in commercial and homeowner landscapes. Attractive foliage, showy flowers and distinctive seed heads make many annual and perennial grasses suitable for fresh and dried flo- ral arrangements. Ornamental grasses can be added to an existing nursery operation or become the focus of a specialty nursery. Marketing Container-grown and bare-root ornamental grasses are produced by nurseries for several different markets. RETAILERS market directly to the end consumer, typically homeowners. This is most commonly done either through retail nurseries, which produce some or all of their own plant material, or garden centers, which purchase their inventory from a wholesale nurs- ery. These businesses are located for convenient con- sumer access, usually near urban or high-traffic areas. A demonstration garden of ornamental grasses grow- ing with other perennials often enhances retail sales. Ornamental grasses can also be sold at retail prices at local farmers markets. Materials used for floral ar- Prairie dropseed, Sporobolus heterolepis rangements are marketed to florists, craft stores or at farmers markets. WHOLESALERS produce plants that are typically sold in large batches at significantly lower prices to land- MAIL-ORDER NURSERIES also sell directly to the end scapers, retailers or other nurseries that grow and resell consumer, but their plants are shipped directly to the the material at a larger size. Wholesale production is customer rather than sold at a retail outlet. This is a usually most efficient when a limited number of plant great option for nurseries that produce species are grown in large numbers. specialty plants and whose customers are plant enthusiasts located across the RE-WHOLESALERS purchase large orders country or globe. Most plants sold via of various plants from wholesale pro- mail-order are smaller in size because of ducers and resell the plants to landscap- shipping costs. www.uky.edu/CCD ers requiring diverse but smaller orders. 1Cheryl Kaiser is a former Extension Associate with the Center for Crop Diversification. 2Matt Ernst is an independent contractor with the Center for Crop Diversification. Cooperative Extension Service | Agriculture and Natural Resources | Family and Consumer Sciences | 4-H Youth Development | Community and Economic Development LANDSCAPE NURSERIES usually produce plants for their sedges (Cyperaceae) and rushes (Juncaceae), as well own in-house landscaping service, but some may have as true grasses (Poaceae). There are hundreds of cul- a retail outlet as well. tivars in these groups, including native tall prairie grasses such as switchgrass and big bluestem, as well Licenses and Shipping Regulations as many introduced types. Species and cultivars vary Any business that sells plants capable of overwinter- in terms of plant height, growth habit, time of bloom, ing outdoors must obtain a nursery or nursery dealer li- color of foliage and flowers, and life cycle (annual or cense. In addition, businesses that sell plants to out-of- perennial). Some ornamental grasses are invasive, ei- state customers should also obtain a license, regardless ther from underground rhizomes (such as ribbongrass) of the plants’ ability to overwinter. In Kentucky, these or from self-seeding (particularly some Miscanthus si- licenses are obtained from the Office of the State En- nensis cultivars). Select species and cultivars that are tomologist. Additionally, shipment of plants or plant adapted to local growing conditions, non-invasive, parts across state lines can, in many cases, require a and in demand for the intended market. Phytosanitary Certificate. A Phytosanitary Certificate is also required for most international shipments of Site selection, planting, and maintenance plant material. Nurseries can contact Ornamental grasses are easily prop- the Office of the State Entomologist agated by division for commercial to determine if a certificate is needed production. Plants can be produced and how it can be obtained. Be aware either in aboveground containers that certain non-native species of or- with soilless growing media or field- namental grass have been designated grown in a wide range of soil types. invasive and their sale in some states A sunny site with good air circulation is regulated. and a slightly sloping topography is best for field production. Poorly Market Outlook drained sites and overwatering must The high demand for ornamental be avoided. Lodging (plants falling grasses is at least partially due to over) is a common problem when their problem-free, low-maintenance grasses are produced under high fer- reputation. The diversity of plant tility or excessive shade. Early sea- material available, along with their son cutting or reduced fertilization unique visual quality, has added to may help eliminate this problem. their popularity. Use of ornamen- tal grasses in commercial and home Many ornamental grasses are cut landscapes has generally increased back to within a few inches of over time; housing market down- ground level either when growth turns, including less new construc- Feather reed grass, Calamagrostis browns in the fall or before the new tion, affect sales volume of plant × acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’ season’s growth appears in spring. material used in landscaping. Selling Many people delay cutting back un- only plants native to Kentucky or adapted to area grow- til spring to enjoy the tendency of grasses to collect ing conditions, as well as providing point-of-purchase frost and snow during winter and provide habitat for information (such as brochures and growing guides), animals, including pollinators. Evergreen types only can be an effective strategy for increasing local sales. require the removal of old flower stalks, but it may A marketing plan and strategy for ornamental grass be aesthetically pleasing to remove older foliage just production should account for broader economic cy- before new growth begins. cles and the dynamics of the housing industry within the producer’s target market. Pest management Ornamental grasses are generally regarded as disease- Production Considerations free and insect-free in landscapes; however, some Plant selection pest problems occasionally appear in commercial pro- Plant material sold as ornamental grasses may include duction. Insect and disease management requires In- tegrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies, such as This creates an opportunity for higher pricing points scouting, selecting resistant species or cultivars, and targeting experienced or more discriminating con- practicing best management practices. Weeds, which sumers. Ornamental grass growers should budget for are of particular concern in ornamental grass produc- additional marketing expenses and efforts to sell the tion, can be controlled in nurseries using a combina- product since ornamental grasses look quite different tion of methods such as hand-weeding, mowing, me- at maturity than they do at the time of planting. chanical cultivation, mulching, laying ground cloth, planting cover crops, and applying selected herbicides. University of Kentucky budget estimates show nearly identical total costs between in-ground and above- Harvest ground systems of ornamental grass production. The The time needed for plants to reach a saleable size var- UK estimates indicate that producers able to utilize ies; however, some grasses can grow to marketable existing equipment and capital for in-ground orna- size within 12 weeks. In Kentucky, ornamental grass- mental grass production can realize up to 20 to 30 per- es are typically grown in containers. Plants can only cent in variable cost savings compared to a container be grown in a container for a limited period because production system. roots eventually become constricted. If unsold plants are to be saved, they must be divided and repotted or Selected Resources transplanted to larger containers before they outgrow • Kentucky Office of the State Entomologist their current container. Field-grown plants may be (University of Kentucky) sold as bare-root plants or transplanted into contain- http://www.uky.edu/Ag/NurseryInspection/ ers. However, field production of bare-root plants is • Getting Started in the Nursery/Landscape Industry not common in Kentucky. Soil type typically deter- (University of Kentucky) mines whether bare-root production is feasible. http://www.ca.uky.edu/HLA/Dunwell/Nlgetstart.html • Nursery Crop Extension Research (University of Labor requirements Kentucky) http://nursery-crop-extension.ca.uky.edu The level of management for container-grown plants • Ornamental Grasses for Kentucky Landscapes is significantly higher than in field production. A com- (University of Kentucky, 2006) mon rule of thumb is to employ one worker per actual http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/ho/ho79/ho79.pdf acre of container production or one employee per 7 to • Ornamental Grasses & Grass-like Plants (Clemson 8 acres of field production. University, Revised 2017) http://www.clemson.edu/extension/hgic/plants/ Economic Considerations landscape/flowers/hgic1178.html Ornamental grasses can be very profitable additions • Ornamental Grasses (University of Missouri to an existing nursery operation. Compared to most Extension, 2006) other stock, ornamental grasses cost less to grow to a https://extension2.missouri.edu/G6661 saleable size. This could create very attractive price • Ornamental Grasses in
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