Ornamental Grasses in Kentucky

• Kentucky is located in USDA Zone 6, with an average minimum temperature of around -5 degrees Fahrenheit. This means that only hardy ornamental grasses are likely to survive well here. Fortunately, there are a number of ornamental grass species that do well in Kentucky. Choosing the right grasses can help provide interest and make a yard more attractive, as well as keep soil from eroding in storms. Ornamental grasses may be purchased in seed form, but are normally sold in containers or as bare-rooted plants.

Native Grasses

• According to the University of Kentucky, several native tall prairie grasses work well as ornamental landscaping plants. Using native grasses can help maintain native ecosystems and provide food and shelter for local animals. Possible choices for Kentucky include big and little bluestem and switchgrass, as well as sideoats grama and Indian grass, a warm season perennial type of bunch grass. Bottlebrush grass, a threatened native species, is also a good choice in Kentucky. This grass produces bristly green plumes and grows 2 to 4 feet in height.

Invasive Grasses

• Some non-native species can be quite attractive, but are also prone to escaping into the wild environment, where they outcompete native plants and fragment habitats. These grasses include blue oat grass, Miscanthus sinensis (Chinese silver grass) and tall fescue. While these grasses can be used as ornamentals, homeowners should learn about them in advance, and may wish to substitute noninvasive introduced species or native grasses.

Introduced Noninvasive Species

• Not all introduced grasses turn invasive. Some, such as Purpurascens Miscanthus grass turns an attractive reddish orange in the autumn. According to the Kentucky Exotic Pest Plant Council, the gracillimus form of Chinese silver grass is sterile and thus noninvasive. The University of Kentucky also recommends slow spreading, noninvasive hakone grass, tufted hair grass and purple moor grass for landscaping purposes. These attractive grasses help reduce erosion and add interest without the risk of spreading to other areas.