That Flame Grass is ON FIRE!!!

Everyone wants to know, “What is the tall grass with the fluffy plumes on top?”

That is Flame Grass and this is the time of year when it becomes completely irresistible.  As our days become shorter and shorter the Flame Grass (AKA: Miscanthus ‘Purpurascens’) foliage gets more and more vibrant and it’s plumes get brighter and fluffier.  Even a gentle breeze gets those seed heads dancing around.  We really love this ornamental grass for its’ hardiness and versatility.  Upright dark-green leaves form clumps that turn flame-orange-red and bronze in fall.  The tall spikes of rose colored flowers mature to silvery-white plumes that remain attractive all winter long.  Flame Grass will grow to about 4 feet tall spreading to around 3-5 feet wide.  It can handle moist but not soggy soils and anything from sand to clay and anything in between. This makes it a good choice for raingardens.  It prefers full sun or partial shade.

Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass proves itself year after year!!!

Karl Foerster (AKA: Calamagrostis acutiflora) is an easy, low maintenance, award winning grass.  It proves its’ landscape worth year after year with its strong vertical habit.  Hardy and versatile it maintains a dense vertical clump of dark green foliage that turns yellow in autumn.  The airy seed heads mature from late summer to early fall becoming dense and wheat colored as they age.  This grass is an excellent selection for landscapes or as a specimen plant because of its clean dense habit.  Karl Foerster grows to 4-5 feet tall with a mature clump width of 2-3 feet.  Grows best in full sun to partial shade and in just about any soil provided it is well drained and not soggy.

Tips: Ornamental grasses should be left standing through winter and then cut back in the early spring before new growth begins to emerge.  They are very easy to dig and divide

 

Thanks to Heidi Brosseau for this blog!