Need advice on grasses...

The search engine is down so I'll ask you all....I'm looking for some grasses that don't get above 4' tall and are colorful and interesting year round and not invasive. Any suggestions, or am I just dreaming??....TIA..Lauri

I like Zebra grass.
It does not spead and is about the hight you want.

Zebra grass is a clumper, but it can get as tall as 6'. If you like the look of Zebra Grass, then go for Little Zebra Grass, a variety that only gets 3-4' tall. Others you might want to take a look at are Foerster's Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'), Feather Reed Grass 'Overdam', or Pink Muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris). If you are looking for more mounding grasses, check out Carex varieties like Orange New Zealand Sedge, Leatherleaf Sedge, Carex Frosted Curls, Carex Bronzita, and lots of others with varied colors. Festuca varieties also have some gorgeous blue varieties like Elijah Blue and Wallis Fescue. It's also going to depend on the amount of sun and shade your planting area receives.

Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum' is a burgundy colored grass with pink soft fuzzy plumes, my all time favorite! (It is an annual here.) I also like blue oat grass better than blue fescue, Helictotrichon sempervirens. It has steely blue spiky tufts.

Oh so many, I'm making notes and going to take them to my nursery and see what they have and if they will order me some...Thanks everyone...Lauri

I am a huge fan of Pennisetums- Karley Rose is nice and not so aggressive as some, it's pink. Any of the burgandy/red are great, Also a little shorter, about 2- 3 feet is Ruby Crytal grass. Sometimes not so easy to find. I have had mine for several years, the grass is soft with slight grey, the plumes are lovely dark pink that have a shinny, nearly metalic look when new and age to nice soft pink- not a baby pink, not sure how to describe and not currently in bloom so I don't have a photo. I have seen a cultivar advertised- but have not seen photos- of one called "Pink Champagne."

Amen to prariegirl Oat grass is wonderful fountain like sprays that are 2-3 ' high and spreds about 3'. My Zebras are over 5' tall and quite big. gracillis species are also delicate and fun. This is a head of one in the foreground and to the left.

Oh! Now that's just gross! How can you post a shot like that? LOL

Beautious!

Well I finally got winter here in Alaska. 15 F and 75mile/hr winds. So I'm looking at summer pictures here to get warm. The pounding surf on the rocks is beautiful. I'm glad I'm not out on a fishing boat.

Here in the low desert we like the purple fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum "rubrum"). The regular white kind spreads, but teh purpole is a sterile hybrid. It gets 3-4 ft. tall but there is a dwarf kind I have not seen, that is supposed to be 2 ft. tall. Also the pink muhly mentioned above does well here and is gorgeous, light and airy & delicate.

LOL thanks everyone!!! I now need more room in my beds. Looks like I may need to expand out into the lawn....Lauri

I just bought a 6'' tub of grass that has light purple TINY flower /plumes at the ends of flower stalks...sorry I don' t have the correct jargon! I have purple fountain grass so I know that's not it. The grass blades are solid green. Does anyone know what it might be? I seem to remember the word "pennisetum" on the ID stick I threw away!! I'm looking for my digital cam. to take a pic...

Connie

Lauri

you should try pheasant tail grass............................turns the most beautiful shades of orange and red and yellow in the autumn............... it is my favourite grass............... grows to around 3ft here!!!!!

You would love that one...................... have lots of them and they clump up quite quickly!!

Mark