Common Grass Houseplants: Varieties Of Indoor Grass Plants

Grass is one of those plants that makes you think of summer lawn games, cool blades against your cheek as you nap in dappled light, and the brush of finely textured foliage kissing your instep as you saunter about the yard. The scent, color, and feel of this living carpet is at once homey and lively. Bring these characteristics into the home by growing indoor grass plants. You can grow a decorative mat of turf grass or use small ornamental indoor grasses as accents in containers.

How to Use Indoor Grass Plants

It may seem inconceivable that turf grasses can grow indoors. Consider indoor stadiums and soccer fields and you will see that it is not only possible, but they flourish. Turf grass may be germinated from seed in flats or directly into containers. A low dish or pot with turf grass covering it makes an interesting center piece on the dining room table and certainly brings the outside to the interior. Choose a variety that matches your seasons. For instance, northern gardeners should try a cool season grass, while southern gardeners should use a zoysia grass or Bermuda grass. In addition to seasonal concerns, pick a variety that will grow well in your interior light level. The best grass for growing indoors depends upon several factors such as climate and lighting. Once you have your favorite, trim it or just let it go. Tall common grass plants make an interesting architectural statement. Trimmed types of indoor grass bring order and lushness to any container.

Types of Indoor Grass

In addition to turf grasses, which will grow in almost any container, ornamental indoor grasses bring texture and movement to any potted display. More common grass houseplants such as variegated carex, fiber optics plant, zebra grass, or corkscrew rush thrive in containers in a variety of light levels in the home. Most types of indoor grass start well in a flat from seed. Just sprinkle the seed over the surface of the soil and cover with a fine layer of sand. Keep the flat or pot moist and, in a week or two, you'll have the beginnings of baby grass plants. Many of the fescues, such as red fescue or tall fescue, look striking in interior pots. One of the best grasses for growing indoors is ryegrass. It produces interesting panicles in spring and grows rapidly. Wheatgrass is a common grass houseplant and often used as an edible, while cat grass (a grass mixture grown from wheat, barley, oats, or rye) can be found in kit form or just seed. Your kitty will love it. Don't forget bamboo is a grass and some of the dwarf varieties are well suited to indoor container growing.