Comparison Chart for Ornamental Grasses
- Bluestem Nursery www.bluestem.ca
This info is derived from growing the grasses in our Zone 4/5 nursery. We
have sandy-loam soil, our summers our hot and dry and we irrigate to mimic
the ideal growing conditions. |
Grasses, Sedges, Rushes
 |
Common Name
|
Height
cm / in
|
Bloom Height
|
Bloom Time
|
Foliage Color/Blade Width
|
Ideal Growing Conditions
|
Season
|
H2O
Req*
|
Roots
|
Zone
|
| Achnatherum calamagrostis |
Silver spear grass |
50-70
20-28" |
80-100
24-36"
|
June-July |
green
narrow |
sun/part shade
moist, fertile well drained soil |
cool |
2 |
clump |
5** |
| Achnatherum hymenoides |
Indian ricegrass |
45-60
18-24" |
60-75
24-30"
|
early spring |
green
narrow |
sun/part shade
moist, fertile well drained soil |
cool |
1 |
clump |
3 |
| Alopecurus pratensis 'Aureovariegatus' |
Golden foxtail grass |
30-40
12-16" |
60
24"
|
May-June |
yel / green narrow |
full sun/light shade
moist fertile soil |
cool |
3 |
sod-
forming^ |
4 |
| Andropogon gerardii |
Big bluestem |
100-200
40-80" |
150-250
60-100" |
Aug-Sept |
blue-green
medium |
full sun
well drained soil |
warm |
2 |
sod-
forming^ |
4** |
| Andropogon gerardii 'Bison' |
Bison big bluestem |
120-150
48-60" |
135-165
55-65" |
late July-Aug |
green
narrow |
full sun
well drained soil |
warm |
2 |
sod-
forming^ |
4** |
| Andropogon gerardii 'New Wave' |
New Wave
big bluestem |
75-105
30-42" |
135-165
55-65" |
Aug-Sept |
green,
red-tinged narrow |
full sun
well drained soil |
warm |
2 |
sod-
forming^ |
4** |
| Arrhenatherum bulbosum
'Variegatum' |
Striped bulbous oat grass |
30-35
12-14" |
50
20"
|
Aug-Sept |
white/green
medium |
light to full shade
moist, well drained soil |
cool |
3 |
clump |
4 |
| Bouteloua curtipendula |
Side oats grama |
40-80
16-32" |
60-100
24-40"
|
June-Aug |
light green medium |
full sun
soil - adaptable |
warm |
1 |
sod-forming^ |
3 |
| Bouteloua gracilis |
Blue grama |
30-40
12-16"
|
40-50
16-20" |
June-Aug |
grey-green
narrow |
full sun
sandy loam soil
|
warm |
1 |
clump |
3 |
| Bouteloua gracilis 'Lovington' |
Blue grama |
40-50
16-20"
|
50-60
20-24" |
June-Aug |
lt green
narrow |
full sun, clay to
sandy loam soil
|
warm |
1 |
clump |
4 |
| Buchloe dactyloides |
Buffalo grass |
10-15
4-6" |
5-15
2-6" |
July-Aug
(sparse) |
grey-green
narrow |
full sun
soil - well drained, clay |
warm |
1 |
moderate
spreader |
4 |
| Calamagrostis x acut. 'Avalanche' |
Variegated reed grass |
50-75
20-30" |
110
50" |
June-July |
green/white
medium
|
full sun/part sun
soil - adaptable |
cool |
2 |
clump |
3 |