LMP, Inc.
Ornamental Grasses
Not a true grass, but rather a group of plants of varying heights, colors, and textures that add visual interest to a well designed landscape backdrop.
When one hears the word grass they think of the traditional lawn carpet - green, lush, uniform, and often in need of a good mowing. This grass, often considered to be functional, can consist of the standard varieties of Bahia, Zosyia and St. Augustine. Its primary purpose is to serve as a canvas across an area of negative space where other plant materials are often showcased. Ornamental grass, more of a perennial or annual than a functional grass, can provide color, height, and interest to the canvas. In Considerations for Selection and Use of Ornamental Grasses, Dr. Mack Thetford, an Associate Professor at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, explained the term ornamental grass. Per Thetford, ornamental grass is often comprised of true grasses which belong to the Poaceae plant family while others can be characterized as rushes (Juncaceae) or sedges (Cyperceae). Ornamental grasses can be further classified as either clumping or creeping. The clump forming grasses, or bunch grasses, grow in compacted tufts with their bases increasing in size. Creeping grasses are known to spread or run. The characteristics to be considered when choosing an ornamental grass, other than height and color variations, include whether they are an annual or perennial, evergreen or deciduous, tolerant of the cold, and are they native or invasive? A few selections for the weather and soil conditions of Florida include:
Muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaris) – growing around 3 feet tall this grass produces pinkish and/or purplish plumes in the fall.
Dwarf Fakahatchee (Tripsacum floridanum) – often referred to as Florida Gama Grass, this green mounded grass produces a brownish red flower in the summer.
Zebra (Miscanthus sinensis ‘zebrius’) – growing around 6 feet tall this grass produces a silverish grass with cream or yellow horizontal markings.
Pampas (Cortaderia sellona) – growing between 8 to 10 feet this grass produces large, showy white plumes.
To learn more about ornamental grasses or to explore how they can enhance your property please contact the LMP office in your region.
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