When it comes to ornamental grasses, the unbelievable variety of shapes and colors is immediately apparent. The spectrum ranges from small ornamental grass, which is often planted to fill gaps in the bed, to large cattail plants, which attract the attention of the observer as a solitary plant.

Ornamental grasses can elegantly accentuate colorful flower beds

Worth knowing about the ornamental grasses

A distinction is made between four plant families:

  • True grasses or sweet grasses
  • sedges or sedges
  • rush plants
  • Cattail family

Another difference is their lifespan: a distinction is made between annual and perennial ornamental grasses.
The annual grasses grow from seeds in spring, become adult grasses over the summer, and shed seeds again for the next generation in the fall.
Perennial grasses are perennials that can be cultivated in perennial beds for several years with appropriate care.

The appearance of the grass

As already mentioned, ornamental grasses are characterized by a wide variety. They are available in all possible shades of colour, from green to brown and yellow to noble silver or grey. Most grasses change color throughout the year. Some species, such as the riding grass or moor grass, impress with their magnificent autumn colors.

In addition to the color variants, the different growth heights of the species are also interesting. The most spectacular are the giant grasses, which can grow up to four meters high in favorable locations. Such a grass is the absolute eye-catcher in the garden. In addition to the large ornamental grasses, the small and very small specimens also beautify the perennial bed. Some small varieties grow stiffly upright, while others have long, narrow leaves that hang gently down to the ground.

The best location

The location is different for each ornamental grass. Reed grass, moor grass and Chinese reed, for example, prefer a sunny spot in the garden, while evergreen sedges and grove rushes tend to thrive in the shade.
The soil for the ornamental grasses should be loose, rich in nutrients and humus and not waterlogged.

Examples of ornamental grasses

Green grasses all year round are, for example, the giant sedge, the blue-green rush or the grove rush. Some grasses form infructescences during their growth. Here, on the one hand, the feather grasses should be mentioned, which form small and inconspicuous infructescences and, on the other hand, the conspicuous infructescences of cotton grass or silver spike grass.
The best known are the panicles of Chinese reed and pampas grass.

Category:

Indoor plants