UF/IFAS Okeechobee County Extension Service

458 Highway 98 North

Okeechobee, FL 34972-2578

Phone: (863) 763-6469

E- mail:  asachson@ifas.ufl.edu 

October 25,  2007

Quick Links: Using Ornamental Grass    Muhly Grass    Lemon Grass   Tiger Grass      References

 Feature Article - for release the week of  October 28, 2007 

Angela Sachson  – Okeechobee Extension FYN Program

 

Ornamental Grasses are Right for this Place

 

It is not a secret that I write articles about things that interest me and then hope they interest you too.  Often I wish I knew more about a subject or want to find out why some plants do or don’t thrive in my garden.  I research and share.  Recently I’ve been thinking about grasses. 

Ornamental grasses are some of my favorites.  They are beautiful and pretty well care free.  I have a book called The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses and at the end of the description for a particular cultivar the author lists pests and problems.  Almost every one of several hundred entries says “No known pests or problems.”  These are my kind of plant. 

Many are drought tolerant once established and there are also many grasses which grow in or near the water.  There are grasses of every size - from little 4-inch blue fescue to line your paths, to the 60 foot bamboos which are also in the grass family.

Grasses not only come in all sizes, they come in a variety of shapes and colors.  Some arch, some are upright, some grow up and then arch.  Grasses come in clumping and running—you want clumping.  Please trust me on this.  We have enough plants running around here.

Ornamental grasses can be used in Florida Yards as accent plants, ground covers, border edging, and can even screen out undesirable views.  While their popularity has increased in recent years, they also have a history.  They were an important part of Victorian gardens in England.  Still, you may have to look around to find the size and shape grass you want unless you are seeking purple fountain grass—which is everywhere.

 

Here are some interesting grasses that grow well in central and south Florida.

*       Muhly Grass:  Muhly is a Florida native which grows about 4 feet tall.  The native is called Purple Muhly, but the blooms are actually pink and held above the foliage for a beautiful fall display.  It is easy to grow and drought tolerant once it is established. There is another muhly called bamboo muhly which grows to six feet tall and looks like very feathery bamboo.  This one is a good screening plant.

*       Lemon Grass:  I recommend this grass because it is beautiful and also smells great and is edible.  It has strappy leaves, much less dainty than Muhly and it is great planted on a slope to hold the soil.  When you get ready to divide lemon grass (in about two years) you will understand why.  The roots are deep and strong!

*       Tiger grass:  If you like bamboo but don’t have room for it, or want a screen that is not too tall, here is a plant to consider.  Tiger Grass is wonderful eight-foot tall grass that looks like bamboo but does not send out runners, grows easily and speedily. This grass has large linear leaves and a manicured look.  It needs more water than lemon and muhly grasses. We recently learned that most shrubs need about three liters of water a week to get established - and that goes for ornamental grasses too.

Here is the question I was asking when I decided to research ornamental grasses.  “Does pH level have an especially important part to play in ornamental grass culture?”  I found that pH level is not always addressed in articles about grasses. In general, grasses are considered tolerant of a wide variety of soils and pH levels.  So, we may not always know exactly what an interesting grass requires. 

Well composted organic matter may be mixed with the sandy Florida soil when installing any plant.   Three inches of mulch will also help your new plant thrive, but keep it off the top of the root ball.

There are hundreds of wonderful ornamental grasses.  You can learn about them online as well as in your county extension office where we have Master Gardeners to help select the right grass for the right place.

I’ve placed photos and more information on our Okeechobee web page, http://okeechobee.ifas.ufl.edu.  If you need additional information on ornamental Grasses, please email us at okeechobee@ifas.ufl.edu or call us at 863-763-6469.  Local residents can stop by our office at 458 Hwy 98 North in Okeechobee, and visit our Okeechobee County Master Gardeners from 1 to 3 PM on Tuesday afternoons. GO GATORS! 

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Trade names, where used, are given for the purpose of providing specific information. They do not constitute an endorsement or guarantee of products named, nor does it imply criticism of products not named. The Florida Cooperative Extension Service - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer authorized to provide research, educational information, and other services to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap, or national origin.  Florida Cooperative Extension Service / IFAS / University of Florida.  Larry A.  Arrington, Dean. Last update: 10/25/2007.  This page is maintained by Dan Culbert 

References

DelValle, Terry  Ornamental Grasses. Jacksonville: Duval County Extension Service, 10/8/05.  http://duval.ifas.ufl.edu/news_articles_ornamental_grasses.shtml 

McAvoy, Gene. "Ornamental Grasses - Low Maintenance with a Flair. " LaBelle: Hendry County Horticulture News, undated. http://hchort.ifas.ufl.edu/HCHortNews_OrnGrass.html 

Thetford, Mack.  Considerations for Selection and Use of Ornamental Grasses [ENH 976]. Gainesville: UF/IFAS Florida Cooperative Extension Service,  January 2006. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/EP233 .