What are the best ornamental grasses for our area?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know specific types, but the previous owners planted ornamental grasses and we literally can't get rid of them. No, none.

Same situation here as well. They're spreading into my woods as well. It's not good.

For anyone looking for liriope substitute in full sun, look into Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium). Which is not a grass, and has the most adorable blue flowers.

OP, for your wet areas, standard grasses will likely not work. You could plant something like the Common Rush, which can pass as a grass although it is not.

I love blue-eyed grass!!

[Anonymous]

Wait what’s wrong with liriope?
Why is so hard to remove?
I am pretty grateful to mine right now for outcompeting a large patch of goutweed against my house during the drought.

[Anonymous]

I have sedge grass / carex "Everillo". It does well in dry shade w root competition and has great color. Many varieties- less seedy and not large or invasive like some ornamental grasses.

[Anonymous]

There is a great variety of little blue stem called Carousel, and another I love that is variagated, then turns pink and purple in late summer, called chameleon, and if you want it to stay standing tall try Standing Ovation.

I'm really surprised more people don't use these. They are beautiful, native, and well behaved.

[Anonymous]

I curse my neighbor and their liriope garbage. It is invading my lawn all over the place. It should be illegal just like spreading bamboo. It took me two years to get rid of all of it in my non-lawn areas. Invasive weed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wait what’s wrong with liriope?
Why is so hard to remove?
I am pretty grateful to mine right now for outcompeting a large patch of goutweed against my house during the drought.

It is non-native and invasive. That being said, if you live in a relatively urban area and plant it in the median between the sidewalk and street, there really isn't anywhere for it to go. It spreads by runners. If you plant it in your yard or at the edge of a wood, it will take over and outcompete native plants.

[Anonymous]

You can try a windmill palm. Hardy to about 5F

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wait what’s wrong with liriope?
Why is so hard to remove?
I am pretty grateful to mine right now for outcompeting a large patch of goutweed against my house during the drought.

Liriope is a lily turf and not a grass. It spreads underground and very hard to eliminate. It is also invasive, from china and does not feed local wildlife.
Little blue stem is great for this area. As is prairie drop seed. As well as various carex varieties native to this area: flacca, bunny hobb, Pennsylvania. If you want something shorter.

[Anonymous]

Try growing a Windmill Palm (Trachycarpus Fortunei) Evergreen and hardy to 5°F. Tolerant of pretty much every soil type besides sandy or rocky soils. Make sure the soil is nutrient rich though, or they will be severely stunted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Liriope. It's basically a weed, it will grow anywhere.

Enough liriope! And it’s so hard to remove.

Yes, three years after we literally dug it all out, it's still popping up in our mulch beds. We've been vigilant about pulling it out every time we see it, too. The worst. I hate the previous owner of our home for many stupid decisions she made, but the liriope is the worst and the hardest to fix.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Liriope. It's basically a weed, it will grow anywhere.

Do not plant Liriope if you are in VA. It's an invasive weed and needs to be removed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wait what’s wrong with liriope?
Why is so hard to remove?
I am pretty grateful to mine right now for outcompeting a large patch of goutweed against my house during the drought.

Liriope is a lily turf and not a grass. It spreads underground and very hard to eliminate. It is also invasive, from china and does not feed local wildlife.
Little blue stem is great for this area. As is prairie drop seed. As well as various carex varieties native to this area: flacca, bunny hobb, Pennsylvania. If you want something shorter.

It’s also quite unattractive.

[Anonymous]

Native carex
Carex Appalachia or Carex Pensslyvanica

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Liriope. It's basically a weed, it will grow anywhere.

The spreading/creeping kind of liriope is terrible. The clumping kind is better if you want to keep it under control. The clumps will get bigger over time but it doesn't spread as much and isn't that difficult to keep under control.

The majority of actual grasses require full sun. I have some of the large grasses in part sun (the low end of part sun) - they're ok, but the growth is much less than the same type in full sun. For places that may not have enough sun, there are types of carex are also good options (and there are native varieties). The ones I have are in areas that stay wetter (no standing water, but the areas that drain more slowly and don't dry out as well) Like liriope, they're shorter, I don't think I've seen any that get over a foot or so tall. But - they're pretty and can deal with more shade than many true grasses. They can be deer resistant (clumping liriope is not) and make good ground cover.

For medium sized grass, I love the the fountain grasses. I'm not sure which if any are natives. I had a bunch when we moved in - like a lot of the ornamental grasses, they clump and spread slowly, so easier to keep under control. I think they look really nice through the winter.