Flowering Grass Plants

Flame Grass

• Miscanthus purpurascens is a popular flowering grass, known for its full, colorful flowers. The purpurascens variety of Miscanthus is commonly referred to as flame grass. Flowers are brilliant and bold, in gold to bright-orange tones. The colorful display begins in fall, and plumes change to a white-gold color in winter. Another benefit is that flame grass is an extremely easy-care flowering ornamental grass, hardy in USDA hardiness zones 5 through 9. Flame grass is versatile in how it can be used in landscapes. It can serve as a focal point for borders, planted in containers and used in rock gardens or to accent water ponds and features in the garden landscape.

Ruby Grass

• Ruby grass (Melinus nerviglumis) also goes by the name of Pink Champagne, given its large plumes of flowers that range in shades from pink to ruby red, growing 2 feet tall. Ruby grass grows perennially, as a warm-season grass and will grow as a perennial in zones 9 and above. The flowers can also be dried and used in floral arrangements. Ruby grass can also be planted in the middle or back of a large container to provide height and color to the overall arrangement.

Dwarf Fountain Grass

• Dwarf fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides Hameln) is an easy-care flowering grass, cold-hardy in zones 4 to 9. The yellow-gold plumes of flowers bloom from late summer and well into fall. Dwarf fountain grass makes a great ornamental grass accent for landscapes for cottages and smaller homes, patios and to accent rock gardens. Foliage is evergreen and the plant maintains a short height of 2 to 3 feet. This makes dwarf fountain grass flexible in use as an in-ground plant or container plant on top of cement or brick patio.

Northern Sea Oats

• Northern sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) give a lively, animated look to garden spaces. Flowering, feathery plumes are mauve-pink in color. Northern sea oats make a great accent piece to borders and coordinate with flower beds that have blue, pink and white-colored flowers. The blades of the foliage add texture to the garden landscape.

Golden Sedge

• Golden sedge (Carex elata Aurea) is a flowering ornamental grass that adds spikes of rich yellow color to landscapes. In comparison to many flowering grasses, sedge does not wait until fall to put on a color show. Its bright yellow flowers begin their blooming season in the spring. The color makes a great companion to accent darker-colored red, blue and purple flowers and ground cover, and to give a color pop to landscapes before late-season bloomers.