Ornamental Grasses for Containers

When you craft container arrangements, in order to be visually pleasing, it is important to include variation in height, color and form.  Ornamental grasses can be a great way to add height and texture to a container arrangement. There are several advantages to planting grasses in containers. When planted in the ground, grasses spread quickly and can often dominate a landscape. Grasses are easily reigned in when planted in containers. Grasses can also be planted beyond their zone tolerance when placed in containers. When the weather becomes too cold simply move the containers into a sheltered area or plant the grasses as an annual.

Planting

Grasses are not too picky about their soil. However, care must be taken not to overwater the plants. Your container should provide adequate drainage and your potting media should allow water to move through without becoming very soggy. Regular potting soil, which is sold in garden stores should work.  Never use garden dirt in a container.  Water is essential when you pot the grasses, but after that grasses can be fairly drought tolerant. Always check the soil a few inches deep to make sure it is dry before you water. Also, make sure your container is large enough to accommodate the root ball with some room for growth.

Variety

There is an incredible variety in ornamental grasses. There are different colors of foliage including red, green, silver, blue and striped. Height can range from a few inches to several feet. Some grasses mound and cascade while others stand erect. Many grasses put on a beautiful show in fall with changing foliage and flower spikes.

Suggested Grasses

The University of Maryland Extension suggests  Juncus effuses, called ‘Quartz Creek’ as an excellent grass for containers in zones 4-10. This grass will complement any color combination with its green foliage and grows up to 2 feet tall. Stipa tenuissima or ‘Pony Tails’ will thrive in zones 6-10. The University of Maryland Extension describes Pony Tails as “graceful, breezy grass with soft feathery bright green foliage.” Its height ranges from 12 to 18 inches.

For deeper color, red fountain grass is suggested by about.com. Fountain grass will add shape, rounded height and color to a container arrangement. It is only hardy as a perennial in zones 9 and 10, but can be grown as an annual anywhere.

Garden Guides recommends Blue Oat Grass paired with burgundy colored cannas. The blue oat grass is hardy from zones 4-10. Its flowers appear in June and tower 1-2 feet above the foliage. The foliage is a metallic blue color, and the grass can grow 12-18 inches high.

These are just a few suggestions for varieties, there are many more possibilities.

Dividing

Depending on the hardiness in your zone, the grasses can be left outside in the winter or moved to a location that will not freeze. In early spring Maureen Gilmer, in an article for HGTV, suggests dividing the mass of roots using a spade. Make sure each section is large enough to plant and the dead portion in the middle is cut away. When repotted the grasses will return as the weather warms up and you can enjoy them for another season.

Your Turn to Share

Grasses add variety and  elegance to any plantscape. Are there any varieties of ornamental grasses you like to use in containers? What do you like to pair with other flowers? Have you faced any challenges growing grasses in containers?

Photo “Ornamental Grasses” by Tanya Impeartrice