Low Mounding Non-Invasive Grasses

Carex

• Many species in the Carex genus grow in low, noninvasive mounds. The Frosty Curls cultivar grows in 12-inch, dense clumps of fine, metallic foliage. This drought-tolerant evergreen is hardy in United States Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 6 to 9. Hime kan suga grows to 18 inches tall in mounds of evergreen foliage with white margins. It is hardy in zones 5 to 8 and grows best in sunny, well-drained sites. Marrow’s sedge comes in a range of short cultivars, including variegated versions such as Ice Dance, which has white margins. This noninvasive grass grows best in shady, moist sites and is hardy in zones 7 through 9.

Pennisetum

• Several species and cultivars in the Pennisetum genus grow noninvasively in low mounds. Little Bunny fountain grass grows from 12 to 18 inches tall in clumps of thin, green foliage that turns yellow in autumn. This grass has white flowers in late summer, is hardy in zones 5 to 9 and grows best in fertile soil. Oriental fountain grass forms dense, grey-green clumps of foliage up to 2 feet tall. It thrives in well-drained soil and tolerates sunny or shady exposures. Oriental fountain grass is hardy in zones 6 to 9. As its name implies, Cupreum purple fountain grass grows in 3-foot-tall clumps of arching, purple foliage. It is hardy in zones 9 through 10 and often is grown as an annual.

Hakonechloa

• Hakonechloa grasses are colorful, noninvasive and low-growing. Hakone grass forms fountain-like mounds of soft, green fronds from 1 to 3 feet tall. This noninvasive grass turns bronze and orange in autumn. It is hardy in zones 4 to 8 and grows well in moist, rich soils. Golden hakonechloa grows up to 2 feet tall and forms mounds of lime-green foliage that turns yellow, pink and red in full sun exposures. This shade-tolerant grass is hardy in zones 6 through 9 and prefers moist, well-draining soil.

Other Low Grasses

• Other low-mounding species that don’t spread invasively include blue oats grass, a 30-inch-tall grass with blue-green foliage, and tuber oat grass, which grows very slowly to 12 inches tall. Blue oats grass grows best in sun to partial shade and well-draining soil. Tuber oat grass thrives in sun to partial shade and tolerates moist, dry and poor soils. Both blue oats and tuber oat grasses are hardy in zones 4 to 9. The drought-tolerant prairie dropseed grows in 15-inch mounds of fine, lustrous green foliage that turns orange and bronze in fall. It prefers sun to light shade and is hardy in zones 4 to 8.