Can Ornamental Grass Choke Bushes?

Types of Ornamental Grasses

• Ornamental grasses include the following types: big bluestem, switch grass, Indian grass, little bluestem, Western wheatgrass, needle grass, June grass, buffalo grass, blue grama, maidengrass, Northern Lights tufted hairgrass, feather reed grass, Northern sea oats, tufted hairgrass, Korean feather grass, sideoats grams, sand love grass, Arizona fescue, Elijah blue fescue and silky threadgrass. Some types are deciduous, some are perennial and others are annual plants.

Invasive Species

• Some types of ornamental grasses have escaped cultivation and become noxious weeds in some areas of the world. When this occurs, the grass chokes many other plants that grow in its range. For example, fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum), which is native to Africa, has taken over many acres in Hawaii, choking out native plants as well as creating a fire hazard because of the dry conditions where it grows and thrives, according to the Hawaii Ecosystems at Risk website.

Features of Ornamental Grasses

• Unlike lawn grasses, you needn't mow ornamental grasses. Because they are attractive, allow them to grow to their full natural height, which makes them easy to care for. Many of the ornamental grasses are drought-tolerant. Because of their hardiness and habit of self-seeding, some ornamental grasses multiply and spread to areas where you might be growing other plants. This tendency can, in time, choke out bushes, shrubs, lawns and other plants.

Growing Conditions

• Plant most ornamental grasses in a sunny area with well-draining soil. Amend the soil with compost before you plant. If you choose an ornamental grass that is native to your region, it will need only the amount of water that natural rains provide after it is established. Native grasses are also the least likely to be classified invasive types and will allow your other landscape plants to survive without being choked out.