Ornamental Grasses in Texas

Texas is home to a wide variety of colorful, showy ornamental grass species. The warm, sunny climate prevalent throughout much of the southwestern United States is an ideal environment for native ornamental grasses that require lots of sunlight and can tolerate moderately dry and sandy soil environments. Ornamental grasses can reproduce either above the soil in clumps through the use of seeds or within the soil through the use of rhizomes.

Bushy Bluestem

Bushy bluestem grass is a hardy, clumping, non-invasive grass with plumes reaching 3 to 5 feet. This ornamental grass is popular for its bushy, large plumes, which reach maximum growth during the fall months. The leaves turn a vibrant coppery-red at peak foliage, adding color to autumn garden environments.

Buffalo Grass

Buffalo grass is a native, non-clumping ornamental grass with thin leaves growing to 6 inches and small flowers rising 2 inches above the grass line. This turfgrass is easy to maintain; requiring no watering, fertilizing or mowing. Like other ornamental turfgrasses that spread by rhizomes, buffalo grass is fast spreading and invasive.

Texas Blue Grass

Texas blue grass has thin, green leaves that bunch together at the base and can reach a height of 2 to 3 feet. This ornamental grass can tolerate most well-drained topsoil environments and can grow in partial shade. In the spring, large, fluffy, silvery flowers mature above the grass line.

Switchgrass

Switchgrass is a large ornamental grass that can tolerate a variety of soil, moisture and sunlight conditions. The thin, fine, blue-colored plumes can reach a height of 3 to 8 feet. which turn a bright orange color in autumn. Switchgrass is a popular landscaping ornamental grass used for backdrops and screening.