Ornamental Grasses as Companions for Roses

Zone 3

• Average annual low temperatures in USDA zone 3 drop to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis) prefers loamy soil and full sun exposures. This native grass grows in clumps to 2 feet tall and has light-green foliage. It is hardy to USDA zone 3 and tolerates drought and occasional mowing. Ribbon grass (Phalaris arundinacea “Picta”) is hardy in zones 3 through 9 and grows 2 to 3 feet tall. This upright grass has white- and green-striped foliage and grows in dense clumps. It prefers full sun and tolerates a variety of soil types.

Zone 4

• In USDA zone 4, lows dip to minus 30 degrees. The native Indian grass (Sorphaatum nutans) is hardy in zones 4 through 9 and grows to 6 feet tall. This grass has arching foliage that turns orange in autumn. It blooms with narrow panicles in late summer and grows well in full sun and moist loam. Feather reed grass (Calamagrostis arundinacea) grows best in loamy soils and full sun, but it also thrives in clay or poorly drained sites. This European native grows to 36 inches tall and has coarse foliage. In early summer, it produces green inflorescences that age to a buff hue. Feather reed grass is hardy in zones 4 through 9.

Zone 5

• USDA zone 5's lows dip to minus 20. Switch grass (Panicum virgatum) is hardy in zones 5 through 9 and grows from 4 to 6 feet tall. This narrow, blue-green grass turns red in fall and produces purple-red inflorescences in late fall. Switch grass attracts birds with its bright red seeds. It prefers full sun, loamy soil and regular irrigation. Hameln Fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides “Hameln”) is hardy in zones 5 through 9 and grows to 3 feet tall. This Chinese native thrives in sunny, loamy sites and blooms with plumy inflorescences in midsummer. These red-brown flowers last into late autumn and make attractive components in dried flower arrangements.

Zone 6

• In USDA zone 6, lows reach minus 10 degrees. Dwarf miscanthus (Miscanthus sinensis “Yaku Jima”), a cultivar of maiden grass, is hardy in zones 6 through 9. It grows from 3 to 5 feet tall and produces bronze plumes that age to silver. Maiden grass grows best in sunny sites with moist, well-draining and fertile loam. Japanese blood grass (Imperata cylindrica var. koenigii) grows from 1 to 2 feet tall and is hardy in zones 6 to 9. This slow-growing grass has fine green foliage with bright-red tips. It grows well in sun and moist to dry soil.