If you want to have a beautiful or at least eye-catching yard this winter, one of the ways you can accomplish that is to use ornamental grasses. Ornamental grass sticks up over light snow and provides an attractive landscape for your yard. There are several different kinds of ornamental grass you could use. Some stick up quite tall and some are shorter. You have to decide what would look best in your yard and how much care it will require. This article will detail five of the top ornamental grasses to use in your yard that will look great when it’s winter time.
Best Ornamental Grasses for Winter #1: Alopecurus Pratensis ‘Aureus’
Alopecurus pratensis ‘Aureus’ (also known as Gold Meadow Foxtail) blooms in summer through fall. The blades can vary in color. Sometimes they’ll come out yellow or green with yellow, leaving the result of looking like a golden grass. When you’ve already been growing your Alopecurus pratensis and cut it back, it will grow back quickly. The tallest they get is twelve inches. This ornamental grass thrives in zones 4 through 8.
Best Ornamental Grasses for Winter #2: Calamagrostis x Acutiflora Karl Foerster
Calamagrostis x acutiflora Karl Foerster (known as Feather Reed Grass) is an ideal ornamental grass for those that want something tall. It can grow up to five feet, which makes a great look in your yard during winter time. The plant booms feathery pinkish flowers in June and by winter, they turn into a wheaten color. Calamagrostis x Acutiflora moves easily in the wind so if you get some light winter wind, the tops of the grass will sway in the breeze. This grass will grow in zones 4 through 9.
Best Ornamental Grasses for Winter #3: Andropogon Aerardii
Andropogon gerardii (Big Bluestem) is a bunchgrass with blue green steams that grows anywhere from 4 to 8 feet tall. In the fall the color of the Blueteam fades to maroonish tan. If you have cows in the area that roam free, you won’t want this to have this in your yard because it is a very tasty treat to cows and they’ll eat it, ruining your winter yard landscaping. This is a warm season grass that blooms late in fall. Something that is neat about this grass is that the seed head looks like a turkey’s foot. You can grow this in zones 4 through 7.
Best Ornamental Grasses for Winter #4: Helictotrichon Sempervirens
Helictotrichon sempervirens (Blue Oat Grass) is a really beautiful ornamental grass that makes it an excellent choice to use in your yard. You can grow it alone or use it as an accent and plant other winter friendly plants surrounding it. It can get to be three feet tall. The grass has blue foliage, which is what holds it’s appeal to many. If you live in an area that doesn’t get that much water, this plant is drought tolerant which means is does not need that much water. This is suitable for zones 4 through 8.
Best Ornamental Grasses for Winter #5: Panicum Virgatum
Panicum virgatum (Switch Grass) is a prairie native. They grow like a fountain grass, in a columnar style instead of out like many other ornamental grasses. Switch grass grows up to four to five feet tall. The grass is green with light wheat colored ends. Panicum Virgatum grows best in zones 5 through 9.
