Ornamental grasses for Minnesota
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© 2011 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.
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FEATURES OF ORNAMENTAL GRASSES
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Few insect of disease problems
Require little or no supplemental fertilizer
Little maintenance except spring cut-back
More than one season of interest
Fast growing
Wide variation in texture, height and
foliage color
 Movement: audio and visual
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© 2011 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.
blue oatgrass
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hakone grass
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feather reedgrass
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feather reedgrass
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red switchgrass
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miscanthus Graziella
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miscanthus Graziella
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miscanthus Graziella
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red flame miscanthus
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switchgrass
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giant miscanthus
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color variation
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autumn light miscanthus
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MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT
ORNAMENTAL GRASSES
 Lack of cold hardiness | many different
kinds are hardy in USDA Zone 4
 Invasive roots make these plants difficult
to contain | 95% are bunch grasses and
form dense clumps
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© 2011 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.
feather reedgrass
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silver spikegrass
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fall blooming reedgrass
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windplay moorgrass
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molinia
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little bluestem
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prairie dropseed
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crimson fountaingrass
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fountain grass
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big bluestem
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little bluestem
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switch grass
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sedges
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carex flava
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mace sedge
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palm sedge
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palm sedge
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black sedge
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tufted hairgrass
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hakone grass
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cordgrass
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aureomarginata
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GRASSES WITH INVASIVE RHIZOMES
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Miscanthus sacchariflorus – miscanthus
Leymus (Elymus) – blue rye
Phalaris – ribbon grass
Spartina – prairie cordgrass
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blue lyme grass
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ribbon grass
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miscanthus
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miscanthus sacchariflorus
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MISCANTHUS
M. sinensis
M. sacchariflorus
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Bunch grass
Hairs = spikelet
Awns on florets
Many flower colors
Many foliage colors
Aug-Oct flowering
Invasive rhizomes
Hairs 2x spikelet
No awns
White fluffy flowers
Green foliage
Aug flowering
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red flame miscanthus
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silver feather miscanthus
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miscanthus sinensis ‘variegatus’
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‘malpartus’ miscanthus
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‘autumn light’ miscanthus
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‘zebrinus’
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CULTURE AND MAINTENANCE
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Spring planting
Mature height = spacing
Divide as necessary
Spring cut back
Winter protection for group 2
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spring cut back
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burning
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shop.extension.umn.edu
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Written by Mary Meyer, Extension horticulturist
Discover more at
extension.umn.edu
© 2011 Regents of the University of Minnesota. All rights reserved.
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