Ornamental Grasses of the Botanic Gardens

	Genus, Species	Common Name	Origin & Information
1	Zea mays japonica	Japanese Striped	Japan – Ornamental corn from Japan
		Maize	grown for its unique foliage that is striped
			with green, white, yellow and pink.
			Tassels are dark purple and the ear kernals
			are burgundy. A wonderful plant for
			borders, sure to attract lots of attention all
			summer long.
2	Pennisetum X hybrida ‘Purple	Purple Majesty	Asia – Annual purple-leaved warm season
	Majesty’	Fountain Grass	grass, 3-5’H with 8-12″ flower spikes.
			Immature spikes used in floral
			arrangements, mature seedheads will
			attract birds. 2003 All-American-
			Selection (AAS) Gold Medal Flower
			Award Winner.
3	Helictotrichon sempervirens	Blue Oat Grass	Western Mediterranean – Perennial
			grass with bright blue-gray, narrow
			leaves. Forms a fountain-like clump 2-
			3’H X 2-3’W, full sun, average water and
			rich, well-drained soil. Semievergreen.
4	Festuca glauca (cinerea)	Blue Fescue	Europe – Perennial grass used as
			ornamental, 12″H X 10″W, a dense tuft of
			very fine blue-gray leaves. Many
			cultivars, used for edging or ground cover.
			Full sun, moderate water.
5	Buchloe dactyloides ‘Legacy’	Legacy Buffalo Grass	Interior Western US below 6500 ft. –
			Native, sod-forming warm season grass
			used for a low-maintenance turf. Low
			growing vegetatively produced female
			clone developed by the University of
			Nebraska, uses 20% as much water as
			other turfgrasses. Spreads rapidly by
			surface runners (stolons), gray green
			during the growing season, straw colored
			when dormant. Full sun, maximum height
			of 4″ makes mowing unnecessary.
6	Andropogon gerardii	Big Bluestem	US midwest – Perennial prairie grass
	‘Pawnee’		forms a clump 3-5’H X 3’W, thin blades
			are blue-green in summer turning bronzy
			red or coppery in fall. Full sun, moderate
			water, good screen or accent plant.
7	Panicum virgatum ‘Prairie	Switch Grass	Eastern US – Upright native grass 3-5’H,
	Sky’		blue-green foliage, very hardy. Full sun
			or light shade, moderate water, foliage
			turns beige in winter and persists.

8	Miscanthus ‘Giganteus’	Giant Silver Grass	Asia – Perennial upright grass 8-10’H X
	(floridulus)		4’W, arching 3′ leaves are dark green with
			a white midrib, flowers in fall so tends not
			to bloom in Cheyenne. Full sun or partial
			shade, regular water, provides a tropical
			look.
9	Calamagrostis X acutiflora	Karl Foerster Feather	Eurasia – Sturdy, erect, clumping grass
	‘Karl Foerster’	Reed Grass	with narrow, bright green leaves 2-3’H.
			Feathery flower plumes in early summer,
			persist into winter. Full sun or partial
			shade, regular water.
10	Molinia caerulea arundinacea	Skyracer Moor Grass	Eurasia – Long lived but slow growing
	‘Skyracer’		perennial grass with erect 3’H leaves that
			are broad and gray-green, forms a clump
			2-3’W. 7-8′ yellow flower stems in the
			fall, in winter foliage and flowers detach
			at the base.
11	Chasmanthium latifolium	Northern Sea Oats	Eastern US – Perennial woodland grass
			with broad bamboolike leaves, arching
			flower stems with attractive seed heads.
			Partial shade, regular water, tends to
			sprawl.
12	Carex flacca (glauca)	Blue Sedge	Europe – Grasslike clumping plant with
			blue-green evergreen foliage, 12″H X
			18″W. Partial shade, moderate water, can
			be clipped and tolerates light foot traffic.
13	Luzula nivea ‘Snowbird’	Snowy Wood Rush	Europe – Slow-spreading, tufted, 1’H with
			hairy-edged leaves; dense clusters of
			cottony white flowers in early summer
			turning tan. Partial shade, rich moist
			soils.
14	Arrhenatherum elatius	Variegated Bulbous	Europe – Attractive perennial grass with
	bulbosum ‘Variegatum’	Oat Grass	narrow leaves edged and striped in white.
			1’H X 1’W, cool season grass. Full sun or
			partial sun, regular water, divide
			periodically.
15	Carex muskingumensis	Palm Sedge	North America – Clumping grasslike
			perennial with long evergreen leaves that
			carry weeping leaf blades up to the tip
			resembling a small palm branch, 2-3’H.
			Sun to partial shade, ample water, rich
			organic soils.
16	Carex morrowii expallida	Variegated Japanese	Japan – Grasslike clumping plant 1’H X
	‘Goldband’	Sedge	1-2’W with drooping yellow-striped
			leaves. Regular water, partial shade.
17	Carex plantaginea	Plaintain Sedge	North America – Evergreen clump-
			forming sedge with broad hosta-like soft
			green foliage with handsome veining. A
			lovely groundcover, easy and dependable
			even in dry shade, 8-12″H.

18	Calamagrostis X acutiflora	Avalanche Grass	Eurasia – Sturdy, erect, clumping grass
	‘Avalanche’		with narrow white variegated leaves. 2-
			3’H. Sun or part sun, regular water.
19	Pennisetum setaceum	Red Fountain Grass	Tropical Africa. southwestern Asia –
	‘Rubrum’		Perennial grass grown as annual, graceful
			fountainlike mounds with long plumes of
			purplish flowers and reddish brown
			foliage.