There are countless ornamental grasses to choose from, so narrowing down a list of my favorites is tough. However, the following assortment—categorized by their best season of interest—is a good start. Choosing at least one from each season will ensure that your grass-forward garden always has something spectacular going on.

See more:

Get Four-Season Interest Using Ornamental Grasses in the Landscape

How to Divide Large Overgrown Ornamental Grasses

Let’s Argue About Plants Podcast Episode 147: Great Native Grasses

Spring

Red tussock grass

Chionochloa rubra

Zones: 7–10

Size: 3 to 4 feet tall and wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-drained soil

Native Range: New Zealand

Mexican feather grass

Nassella tenuissima

Zones: 7–10

Size: 1 to 2 feet tall and wide

Conditions: Full sun; well-drained soil

Native range: Texas, New Mexico, Mexico, Argentina

Blue oat grass

Helictotrichon sempervirens

Zones: 4–8

Size: 2 to 3 feet tall and 2 to 2½ feet wide

Conditions: Full sun; well-drained soil

Native range: Central and southwestern Europe

‘Campo Azul’ autumn moor grass

Sesleria autumnalis ‘Campo Azul’

Zones: 5–8

Size: 1 to 3 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-drained soil

Native range: Hybrid

Summer

‘Little Miss’ miscanthus

Miscanthus sinensis* ‘Little Miss’

Zones: 5–9

Size: 2 to 3 feet tall and wide

Conditions: Full sun; well-drained soil

Native range: Eastern Asia

‘Heavy Metal’ switchgrass

Panicum virgatum ‘Heavy Metal’

Zones: 5–9

Size: 4 to 5 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist soil

Native range: North America

Purple miscanthus

Miscanthus ‘Purpurascens’

Zones: 5–9

Size: 4 to 5 feet tall and 2½ to 3 feet wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-drained soil

Native range: Hybrid

‘Skyracer’ purple moor grass

Molinia caerulea subsp. arundinacea ‘Skyracer’

Zones: 5–8

Size: 6 to 8 feet tall and 2 to 4 feet wide

Conditions: Full sun; moist soil

Native range: Europe, Asia, northern Africa

Fall

‘Blondo’ miscanthus

Miscanthus sinensis ‘Blondo’

Zones: 4–9

Size: 3 to 5 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil

Native range: Eastern Asia

Seep muhly grass

Muhlenbergia reverchonii

Zones: 5–9

Size: 1½ to 2 feet tall and wide

Conditions: Full sun; well-drained

Native range: Central Oklahoma to central Texas

‘Fire Dragon’ miscanthus

Miscanthus sinensis ‘Fire Dragon’

Zones: 5–9

Size: 6 to 7 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide

Conditions: Full sun; well-drained soil

Native range: Eastern Asia

‘Shenandoah’ switchgrass

Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’

Zones: 5–9

Size: 3 to 4 feet tall and wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist soil

Native range: North America

Winter

Orange sedge

Carex testacea*

Zones: 6–10

Size: 18 to 24 inches tall and wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-drained soil

Native range: New Zealand

*This is technically not a grass.

Crystal Falls® mondo grass

Ophiopogon jaburan ‘HOCF’

Zones: 6–11

Size: 24 to 30 inches tall and wide

Conditions: Partial to full shade; moist soil

Native range: Japan, Korea

‘Fine China’ sedge

Carex ‘Fine China’

Zones: 5–9

Size: 8 to 12 inches tall and 24 inches wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-drained soil

Native range: Hybrid

*This is technically not a grass.

Giant feather grass

Celtica gigantea

Zones: 5–8

Size: 6 to 8 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide

Conditions: Full sun; moist, well-drained soil

Native range: Iberian Peninsula, northern Africa

*Invasive Alert: Miscanthus (Miscanthus sinensis)

This plant is considered invasive in AL, CT, GA, IN, KY, MD, NC, NH, NJ, NY, PA, SC, TN, and VA.

Please visit invasiveplantatlas.org for more information.

Susan Calhoun is the owner and principal designer of Plantswoman Design in Bainbridge, Washington. She is also a FineGardening.com regional reporter for the Pacific Northwest.

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