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Ornamental Grasses For Shade - A List for Light Shade - Page 3© Marge Talt
Page 3
May 5, 1998
Spodiopogon sibericus, frost or graybeard grass, is also known (incorrectly) as Muhlenbergia alpestris or Lasiogrostis splendens. It's a clumper with 3/4" to one inch (1.90 - 2.54 cm) wide bright green leaves and gets two to three feet (.60 - 1m) tall. In summer erect panicles of bloom rise fourteen to eighteen inches (35.56 - 45.72cm) above the foliage. It grows best in moist, well-drained soil in full sun or light shade. In hot climates it needs half shade. Although it will tolerate considerable shade, it will flop if it gets too much. Hardy from USDA zones 5 to 9.
Tripsicum dactyloides, gamma grass, is hardy from USDA zones 5 to 10. It's found throughout the eastern U.S. and makes luxuriant masses of upright arching leaves four to six feet (1.21 - 2m) tall. It prefers moist, fertile soil in full sun to partial shade. It will grow in all but the shadiest gardens.
Tripsicum floridana, Florida gamma grass, tolerates light to medium shade in boggy or moist soils and naturalizes well under the canopy of trees. It's about half the size of T. dactyloides, with narrower foliage. It might become invasive in hot, moist climates.
The sedges, Uncinia egmontiana (orange hook sedge) and U. unciniata (red sedge or red hook sedge) need constantly moist but well drained soil in sun to partial shade. In hot, inland climates they must have half day or light shade. They also like a cool root run. The rich orange foliage of U. egmontiana and the green to copper-red tinted foliage of U. unciniata put them on my "wish list", but they would probably be pot plants for me since they are hardy only in USDA zones 8 and 9. These are both relatively short mounding clumpers. U. egmontiana gets six to twelve inches(15.24 - 30.48cm) tall and U. unciniata gets sixteen to eighteen inches (40.64 - 45.72cm) tall.
Spring has sprung, the grass has riz and I know where the birdies is...they're in my garden. (Yes, I do realize I've mangled that old rhyme.) Spring brings increased activity for gardeners and the wildlife with whom we share our gardens. Next time we'll talk about what you can do and what you can plant to encourage wildlife in your shady garden. See ya' later!
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If you want to add an ornamental grass to your garden, these online nurseries list many of the species featured in this series of articles. I'm familiar with some of these nurseries and some are new to me.
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