Low Sun and Drought Tolerant Grass

Hardy to Zone 4

• Average annual lows in USDA zone 4 drop to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Hardy in zones 4 to 9, tuber oat grass -- Arrhenatherum elatius, subsp. bulbosum -- grows well in partial shade and dry, poor soils. This drought-tolerant grass grows to 12 inches tall and has spiky, green-and-white fronds. Tussock grass -- Deschampsia cespitosa -- is also hardy in zones 4 to 9. It grows to 3 feet tall and produces yellow-green, airy inflorescences in summer. Tussock grass has thread-like, evergreen foliage and tolerates drought and light to partial shade.

Hardy to Zone 5

• USDA zone 5’s lows dip to minus 20 Fahrenheit. Maiden grass -- Miscanthus sinensis “Gracillimus” -- is hardy in zones 5 to 9, tolerates drought and grows well in light shade. This arching grass grows from 6 to 8 feet tall and produces maroon to bronze inflorescences in fall. Its striped green and white fronds turn orange and beige in autumn. Also hardy in zones 5 to 9, giant reed -- Arundo donax -- tolerates drought and light shade. This 20-foot-tall grass, which NC State University describes as the tallest ornamental species, has thick, bamboo-like stems and foliage and blooms with large, puffy inflorescences.

Hardy to Zone 6

• USDA zone 6 experiences average lows to minus 10 Fahrenheit. Hardy in zones 6 to 9, Japanese blood grass -- Imperata cylindrica var. koenigii -- tolerates drought once it is established. This 2-foot-tall grass grows well in partial shade and moist soil. It has green foliage with red tips. Mule grass -- Muhlenbergia capillaris -- is hardy in the same zones and grows to 3 feet tall. This dark, lustrous grass has pink-gray inflorescences and prefers hot, dry sites. It tolerates drought and light shade.

Hardy to Zone 7

• In USDA zone 7, grasses must tolerate lows to 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Marrow’s sedge -- Carex morrowii -- is hardy in zones 7 to 9 and grows to 2 feet tall. This shade-loving grass grows in clumps of stiff, white-margined foliage. It tolerates drought but grows best in moist soil. Cultivars include Gold Band, which has yellow margins, and Silver Tassel, which has silvery foliage. Pampas grass -- Cortaderia selloana -- grows well in light shade and tolerates drought. Hardy in zones 7b to 10, this 10-foot-tall grass blooms with large, feathery plumes that last through mid-winter. It tolerates salty soil and comes in a range of cultivars.