7 Stunning Ornamental Grasses That Actually Thrive on Neglect – They'll Come Back Strong Year After Year

Ornamental grasses, from short and spiky edging grasses to show-stopping, tall and wispy fountain grasses, are striking and generally easy to grow. Many gardeners use these grasses for a low-maintenance feature and to add year-round visual interest.

Choosing low-maintenance ornamental grasses makes adding unique texture and color to your garden simple. The most important factor in choosing the easiest grass is to match it to your climate, conditions, and hardiness zone. Native grasses are the easiest of all to grow.

Here are some ideas for every type of garden.

1. Switchgrass

Switchgrass is a great choice for gardeners in the eastern U.S., where it’s native. Switchgrass is a pretty green grass that grows in upright clumps as tall as six feet (1.8 m) at maturity. It turns yellow in fall, and, unlike some grasses, won’t slump over in winter, allowing you to use it for dormant season visual interest.

Grow switchgrass in zones 3 through 9 in full sun and soil that tends to retain some moisture. Although it prefers moist soil, this grass does have good drought tolerance. The only real maintenance you need to do is to cut it back in spring to allow new growth to come in. Find 'Heavy Metal' switchgrass from Garden Goods Direct for cool, metallic blue foliage.

2. Bottlebrush

Like switchgrass, bottlebrush is native and can grow even in cold climates. It is hardy from zone 3 through 8. Elymus hystrix is a cool-season grass, so it thrives in the shoulder seasons and goes dormant during the heat of summer. It grows up to four feet (1.2 m) tall and has unique, bottlebrush-shaped seedheads.

Native bottlebrush is very low-maintenance if grown in the right conditions. It grows naturally in shaded woody areas with soil that drains very well and is even dry at times. It will reseed itself and come back year after year without much effort on your part. Bottlebrush grass can be found at Plant Addicts Nursery and shipped directly to you.

3. Pink Muhly Grass

For both a unique color and texture, choose pink muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris). As the name suggests, this grass adds a touch of pink to the garden. The feathery tufts of pink or reddish flowers put on a show in fall. It’s a smaller grass, growing only as tall as three feet (0.9 m), and looks nice in rock gardens, beds, and as an edging plant.

Native to North America, you can grow pink muhly grass in zones 5 through 9. It tolerates a variety of soils, even poor, sandy, and rocky soils. It is also drought-tolerant and needs full sun. As with most other native grasses, you won’t need to fertilize this one. For the showiest blooms, trim the grass back while it’s still dormant in winter. Pink muhly grass, available from Fast Growing Trees, can be planted just about anywhere and is sure to make your neighbors jealous!

4. Little Bluestem

Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) is a great choice for most gardeners, as it is native throughout most of North America. Growing up to three feet (0.90 m) tall, little bluestem has silvery or bluish foliage in spring and summer. In summer and fall, it develops purple seedheads as the foliage changes to a coppery color and provides good winter interest.

Suitable for zones 3 through 9, you can rely on little bluestem to be low-maintenance in full sun and in even poor soils. It tolerates drought well but not standing water. 'Prairie Blues' little blue stem, available from Fast Growing Trees, offers stunning color year-round.

5. Japanese Forest Grass

For shady spots, consider Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra). Although not native, it’s also not invasive, as it grows slowly. Give it the right conditions, and this shade-tolerant grass will thrive for years in zones 4 through 9.

Japanese forest grass grows up to about two feet (60 cm) tall in neat mounds with green or variegated blades. It can grow in shade, but partial shade is best. The soil should stay consistently moist but also drain well. 'Lemon Zest' Japanese forest grass, available from Home Depot, is a stunner for shade gardens.

6. Mexican Feather Grass

This pretty grass is native to South and Central America and parts of the southwest U.S. It grows readily and easily in hot, dry climates and is hardy in zones 7 to 10. Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima) has delicate and feathery foliage and summer flowers that ripple prettily in the breeze. It can be invasive in non-native areas, so check before planting in your garden.

Mexican feather grass grows as tall as two feet (60 cm), although it can also be shorter. It forms dense, fountain-shaped clumps and readily re-seeds in its native areas. Full sunlight is best, as is soil that drains very well. This grass will tolerate dry conditions but not standing water. Mexican feather grass can be purchased from Garden Goods Direct.

7. Sweet Flag

Do you have a tricky wet spot in the garden? Fill it with sweet flag, a clump-forming rush or grass that grows in standing water. You can use sweet flag along the edge of a pond or stream, but also in low spots in the garden that are always wet. This grass will not tolerate dry soil. The blades of grass are bright green and form in clumps that grow between one and two feet (30 to 60 cm) tall.

Sweet flag isn’t native, but you can grow Eurasian sweet flag in zones 4 through 10 and Japanese sweet flag in zones 6 through 9. Both need plenty of water and either full sun or partial shade. Find a beautiful variegated sweet flag grass plant from Garden Goods Direct.