Episode 147: Great Native Grasses

Episode 147: Great Native Grasses
If you like the beauty and impact that ornamental grasses bring to a garden design, you will love the many shapes, forms and colors that North American native species offer. Whether you need a practical groundcover, a dramatic focal point, or an airy filler to knit a matrix planting together, Danielle, Carol, and guest Paula Gross have some options that will inspire you to start your spring shopping list now.
Expert guest: Paula Gross is a horticulture educator at Central Piedmont Community College and co-author of The Southeast Native Plant Primer with Larry Mellichamp and Will Stuart.
Danielle's Plants
Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium, Zones 4-9)
‘Carousel’ little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Carousel’, Zones 3-9)
‘Northwind’ switchgrass (Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’, Zones 4-9)
‘River Mist’ Northern sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium 'River Mist', Zones 5-8)
Carol's Plants
Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica, Zones 4-8)
Rose muhly (Muhlenbergia reverchonii, Zones 5-9)
Purpletop (Tridens flavus, Zones 4-9)
‘Blonde Ambition’ gramma grass (Bouteloua gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition’, Zones 3-10)
Expert’s Plants
Pink muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris, Zones 5-9)
Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium, Zones 3-9)
Splitbeard bluestem (Andropogon ternarius, Zones 6-10)
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum, Zones 4-9)
Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans, Zones 4-9)

[@lw8466]

Great topic, great plants!

[@adz5bneweng589]

Love this episode and love Roy Diblik! And I have 2 of the Northwind panicums. This is their 2d season so they're still narrow...but at least 5 ft tall and no flop.
I plant switchgrasses to be back-lit by either morning or afternoon light. Their influorescences sparkle in the sun.
Currently a panicum lover and looking for more varieties - possibly 'heavy metal' and 'Shenandoah red'.

[@adz5bneweng589]

For voles...
Protect your favorite or expensive plants with Diggers root guard speed baskets. After losing multiple expensive plants to voles, I found these speed baskets and have used these for 4 years with no losses from voles. I recommend you buy sizes for the mature plant size so most of mine are 1 to 5 gallon size.