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DO
RIGHT'S PLANT GROWERS
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Do Right's Plant Growers
Plant Reference Guide
"Grasses"
*Acorus ‘Ogon’ 
for a moist location with golden and green variegated leaves 10-12” high, Zones
5-10
*Acorus variegatus
green with white striping, for moist locations in sun or part shade, 6-12” high,
Zones 4-10
Agropyron Magellanicum Aka. Elymus magellanicus Magellan
bluegrass, Blue wheatgrass.
A fountain shaped clump forming perennial grass with linear, flat or folded
leaves with intense blue leaves, to 2' long. Lax, almost prostrate flower spikes,
7' long, consisting of 2-7 flowered spikiest, through summer. Foliage is semi-evergreen
in mildclimates.
Well-drained soil is a necessity, especially in areas with wet winters. Light
shade helps in hot climates. Does well in coastal areas. Grows up to 6' tall
by 12" in width.
Bouteloua curtipendula Side-oatsgramma
A mound of gray-green foliage, 1-2'tall and almost as wide with Oat colored
spikelets arching above up to 3', purplish when they first appear in June or
July. Autumn foliage colors include bronze-purple, orange, and red. Excellent
for groundcover or for erosion control on slopes when planted in masses. Best
in well drained fertile soil in full sun, but once established tolerates a range
of soils (alkaline O.K.). No known pests or problems.
Bouteloua gracilis Mosquito Grass
Fine textured foliage, light green-gray in color, Clump forming to 8-24"
tall. Flowers will reach up to 12"above foliage, emerging silvery-white,
turning purple with maturity. Entire plant turns purple with first frost, bleaching
white in winter. Useful as turf mowed or unmowed, in rock gardens, or in meadows.
Tolerant of drought, poor soils, and extreme heat/cold.
Briza media-pure seed Perennial Quaking Grass
Grows on a variety of soils from light to heavy, dry to damp and acid to calcareous.
A small, clumping, evergreen, cool-season growing grass with medium green leaves,
¼ to½" wide and 12 to 18"tall. Small florets emerge from April through
June first iridescent green, turning gold with maturity, rising 12-18"
above foliage. Excellent all-purpose grass as a groundcover or along perennial
borders. Best in rich, moist soil in full sun. Tolerates range of soils and
hot/dry climate with regular water.
Calamagrostis bracytricha Korean
feather reed grass, Foxtail grass
A warm season grower flowering begins in September with purple-red tint, fading
to silver-gray. Grows upright and arching 1-4'in height, 1-2' in width with
glossy green leaves. In full sun or partial shade, variety of soils with lots
of moisture.
Calamagrostis arundinacea ‘Karl Foerster’
Foerster’s feather reed grass Almost identical to Calamagrostis acutiflora
‘Stricta’ listed below. This plant grows slightly more compact and bloom 2 to
3 weeks earlier. Differences between the to are determined by local growing
conditions. Preferred in colder climates and can be treated same as feather
reed grass preferring moist, rich, soil in full sun. Tolerate range of soils
and heat with plenty of water. Zones 5-9
Calamagrostis acutiflora ‘Stricta’ Feather reed
grass, Overdam
Depending on local condition, appearance can widely vary. Clump forming and
upright foliage is
¼ to ½" wide, arching 18-24" tall, 2-3' in dry, milder climates and
3-4' in cold climates with moist, rich, soils. Tall, greenish flower spikes
emerge from May to June rising 3-4' above foliage. Tolerates heavy soils and
heat with plenty of water.
*Carex aurea ‘Gold Fruit’ named because of the yellow fruit that follows the flowers, Zones 4-9
Carex albula Blonde sedge
Often confused as Carex comans ‘Frosty Curls’, this plant greatly resembles
the New Zealand hair sedges, but is distinguished by it’s clumps of thread like
light green, almost white foliage and curly hair like tips. Best in full sun
or partial shade. Tolerates variety of soils and drought. Up to 12" tall.
*Carex berengrenii ’Carmel Carpet’ only 3-4” tall with brown foliage this is an excellent choice for containers or between stepping-stones. Zones 7-10
*Carex buchananii Leatherleaf sedge
An evergreen or ever-brown clumping perennial with coppery red-brown leaves
1/16" wide and 1-2' tall. Upright when young tending to spread with age.
Great for rock and water gardens with a nice contrast to blue, silver, and dark
green foliage. Prefers constantly moist, well-drained, rocky soil.
In hotter climates, best in partial shade. Can tolerate some drought. Can be
short lived, (2-3 yrs.) so mass plantings are risky. Clumps can have aphids
and mealybugs in hot climates.
Carex buchananii Viridis
Gray green leaves with corkscrew curls at tops blooms Aug-Sept. 12-18"
tall. Best in full sun or partial shade. Tolerates moist soils with good drainage.
Carex caryophyllea The Beatles, Mop Head Sedge
Grows to 8'in height with deep green narrow blades forming dense rounded mounds.
A nice low-growing sedge that provides lush fills between stepping-stones, and
along pathways. Tolerates less than perfect conditions, but best in moist, rich,
soil, in partial shade. Stays evergreen in milder climates.
*Carex comans (Syn:
C comans 'Stricta', C. albula 'Frosty Curls')
A fine-textured, clump forming, evergreen sedge with hair-like iridescent light
green leaves forming dense tufts. Best in full sun or partial shade, moist,
fertile soil with good drainage. Exhibits color variations from green to bronze.
Bronze, deeply bronze-white colored foliage all year round giving the
appearance of being dead. Great for rock gardens. Can be short-lived.
Full sun with good soil and drainage. Drought tolerant. Old, dense clumps
may get aphids and mealybugs.
*Carex comens ‘Bronze Form’
similar to above with bronze foliage which makes an excellent accent in containers
and garden plantings.
Carex elegantissima variegata Golden-edged
sedge
A clump forming sedge with fine olive-green leaves to 2’ long in a dense
mound 18-24” tall.
Arching blades are outlined with a golden-yellow, small flower bloom on slender
stems. Best in full sun/part shade, in moist, well-drained soil.
Carex flagellifera New Zealand weeping brown sedge
A densely tufted evergreen perennial w/ short rhizomes. Similar to C.comans,
but tall with broader green or reddish brown leaves, 16”–28” tall, stems bearing
light brown flower spikes, 1” long, elongate to over 36”. Full sun, partial
shade. Tolerates moist soils with good drainage. Inclined to be short lived.
Carex glauca (Syn. Carex flaca)
The bluest of the sedges, tuft forming, 6 to 24" tall. Flowers in late
spring. Drought tolerant, grows in a variety of soils in full sun or partial
shade in moist soil with good drainage.
Carex hachijoensis ‘Evergold’ (Syn.
C. Morrowii ‘Evergold, C. Oshimensis ‘Evergold’)
Clumps of thick foliage growing up to 12"in height and 14"in width.
Leaves are wide, dark green and glossy with a cream colored stripe in the median.
Does well in wide range of conditions, but suffers in extreme heat.
*Carex dolichostachya kaga-nishiki narrow, bright gold foliage to 12-18” high and tolerates shade as well as dry conditions
Carex morrowii Variegated Japanese sedge
Green leaves; with cleanly striped white variegated
margins, clump forming, erect and out-growing, growth like a pincushion, evergreen
except in the coldest of climate. Lives in a wide range of soils if soil is
moist. 8-18"tall, 1-2' wide.
Carex muskingumensis Palm Sedge
A slow growing sedge with foliage that resemble palm fronds, with stems 2 to
3' long, ¼" wide leaves that are 4 to 8" long and appear at 3 ranks,
more densely arranged at the top of the stems giving the plant a slight tropical
look. Mature plants tend to flop, spill, and slowly creep. Will turn yellow
at first hard frost. Used as groundcover, in mass planting and as erosion control
on moist slopes. Does well in shade or sun as long as it has plenty of moisture,
resents drying out.
*Carex siderosticha ‘Island Brocade’ a vigorous sedge with golden edges on bright green leaves, Zones 6-10
*Carex temnolepsis ‘Pinstripes’ variegated sedge good for containers or woodland gardens, only 6-8” tall, Zones 6-10
*Carex tenuiculmis red leaf sedge, to 24” with slender flower stalks, narrow leaves with a distinctive chocolate brown color
Carex testacea Orange colored sedge
Evergreen fine-textured sedge with orange-colored foliage, 1\32 to 1\16"
wide leaves arching upward 1 to 1½' tall. Foliage appears iridescent olive green
changing to orange as it ages becoming coppery with time. Great for rock gardens,
down rocky slopes or in pots. Best in moist, well-drained, rocky soil in sun
or shade. Not tolerant of drought. Maybe short lived in hotter climates.
Chionochloa Rubra Red tussock grass
An upright mounding grass with fine blades the shade of copper. Large flowers
rise above to 5' in the summer. Used as a nice addition to borders when planted
in the rear as an accent or in masses. Prefers well-drained soils, in full sun
with moderate water.
Cortaderia jubata Purple
pampas grass, pink pampas grass
Grows 9 to 12' in dense,
mounds, sometimes reaching 15' along moist coastal areas. Leaves have sharp
edges and are ½ to 1"wide; flowers emerge from stems 6 to 9' above the
foliage as loose fluffy plumes 1½ to 2' from September through October. Colors
are pink, purple, red, and even yellow. Makes an impenetrable hedge when grown
in masses. Tolerates drought, wind, and wet soil with steady persistence. Can
be aggressive, weedy, and will invade native vegetation.
*Cortaderia selloana Pink Pampas grass
The most popular of all the grasses, there are many types of pampas grass. A
dense clump forming, sharp-edged, grass with gray to greenish foliage. Flowers
are held on sturdy stalks high above the foliage. Colors vary from silvery white,
creamy-white, to pinkish tones. Used alone or in massed groups and become a
pest when planted to close to walkways taking considerable effort to remove.
Best in fertile, well-drained soil with adequate water. Zones 8-10
Deschampsia cespitosa Tufted hair grass, tussock
grass
1-2' tall, strictly clump forming, with a tuft of narrow dark green leaves at
the base foliage, evergreen except in cold environments, prefers moist areas
with stalks up to 4' tall in bloom. Long lived, takes sun or shade. Not suited
for dry hotter climates
Deschampsia cespitosa Bronzescheier or Fairy wand grass
A densely compact mound of dark green, almost shiny
foliage with thin, wispy, arching flowers on wiry stems. Bronze tinted
up to 6' tall, 4-5' wide. Prefers full sun to light shade with rich moist soil.
Native in the California Sierra’s.
Deschampsia flexuosa (Aka: flexuosa
Aira)Crinkled hair grass
Dense clumps of narrow shiny leaves, stalks are wavy, plumes vary in color from
bronze to greenish yellow.1-2' tall and equally as wide with narrow leaves ⅛"
wide and 6 to 12" long. Use as groundcover, in rock gardens or in fresh
or dried arrangements. No known pests or problems.
*Festuca glauca Elijah Blue
A thick clump of silver-blue leaves forming dense mounds, 6 to10"in
height with an equal spread. Produces silver-blue flower stalks in spring that
fade to gold. It is evergreen and prefers full sun or partial shade in well-drained
soil. Zones 4-8
*Festuca ‘Golden Toupee’ an excellent choice for borders in full sun or part shade with its tight growth habit and bright yellow foliage. Zones 5-8
Helictotrichon sempervirens Saphirsprudel
Very stiff, low growing mid-size
grass with thick stalks of erect, silver-blue foliage to 2-½' tall. The bluest
of all the species, New growth is already a bluish gray-green whereas others
have new growth in a fresh green color which turns blue green as it matures.
It also forms a pin cushion-like mound of spiky-blue green. Flowers in late
spring extending more than 2 ft above foliage on arching stems. Best in well-drained,
fertile soil where conditions are cool and moist. Zones 4-9
Holcus lanatus Yorkshire fog, velvet grass
Clump-forming with erect flower spikelets up to 3' tall. Takes full sun in any
soil.
Holcus molis Variegatus
Heavily striped leaves usually less than 8" tall. Grows in full
sun in cool climate or part shade in warmer areas.
Imperata cylindrica (Rubra) Red Baron, Japanese
Blood Grass
Leaves are upright to 20", green at the base and red at the tips. Best
in moist, fertile soil in full sun.
*Isolepsis ‘Fiber Optic Grass’ easily grown, fast and adaptable to even wet soils with fine, cascading leaves, Zones 9-10
Juncus filiformis ‘Spiralis’, Corkscrew Rush
Dark green tubular leaves spiraled and twisted like corkscrews. Full sun, partial
or full shade, tolerates moist soils. Up to 14" tall.
*Koeleria glauca Blue Hairgrass pure seed
Resembles the festucas in shape and structure, but has wider, flat leaves and
much showier flower heads. In warmer climates it may reach 2' tall in bloom
with leaves greenish blue, which also sets them apart visually from the blue,
spiky urchin-like clumps of the festucas. Needs excellent drainage and winter
wet can kill it off. Grown in full sun in moist but not wet soils.
Leymus condensatus ‘Canyon Prince’
Foliage green at first then turning silver-blue upon maturing. Growing 4'
tall in flower. Spreads steadily but not invasive. Needs full sun, drought tolerant.
Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’
A mature plant grows 7' in height, prefers full sun in rich, moist well-drained
soil. Variegated white striped leaves. Blooms late, with reddish-brown flowers.
Zones 5-9
Miscanthus sinensis (Strictus)
Porcupine grass, Erect leaves with the appearance of porcupine quills in height
up to 9'. Prefers full sun in rich, moist, well-drained soil. Blooms in September.
Zones 6-9
Miscanthus sinensis Variegatus
Boldly striped creamy ivory and green leaves growing upward, loosening towards
the top up to 7' tall with red-tinted blooms in mid September. Does best in
rich, moist, well drained soil in full sun, but will tolerate light shade Zones
6-9
Miscanthus sinensis‘Yaku Jima’
A short miscanthus species less than 5’ tall. Very slender pale green leaves
arch gracefully, creating a mound from which the flowers arise.Takes
onorange and reddish hints in the
fall. Does best in rich, moist, well drained soil in full sun, but will
tolerate light shade. Zones 5-9
Miscanthus transmorrisonensis Taiwanese miscanthus, Evergreen miscanthus
Rarely topping 3' with narrow green foliage with flowers held high on long stems
in late July or early august. Best in full sun.
Molina caerula variegata Striped Purple Moor
Grass
Light yellow to cream-white striped leaves with stalks blooming upright up to
3' above foliage. Enjoys partly shaded conditions with plenty of moisture. Tolerate
low soil fertility and acid conditions.
Muhlenbergia dumosa Bamboo muhly
Bright green foliage with erect or arching stems to 4' tall. Tolerant to sun
and drought, best with some moisture.
*Pennisetum sectaceum (Cupreum, Rubrum) Purple fountain grass Zones 9-10 A dark purple color, upright to 5' with leaves to ¾" wide. Blooms in late summer with plumes more than 1' long. Does best in intense heat and humidity with moist, rich, soils. Great container plant or annual.
*Pennisetum setaceum (Rubrum Dwarf)
A compact grass with leaves plumes and stems a red-burgundy like the rubrum
only in miniature at a maximum height of 30" when in flower. Best in full
sun with rich, moist, soils. Zones 9-10
‘Red Riding Hood’ dwarf variety 18-30” high
Pennisetum orientale Oriental fountain grass
Compact, low growing and flowery when well grown. Requires full sun, well-drained
soil and warmth for best flowering and growth.
Pennisetum villosum Feathertop
The Plumes are shorter and fuller than most grasses with pure white flowers.
Best with full sun and regular moisture.
Phalaris arundinacea (Feesey Form)
Strawberries and Cream Green leaves with noticeable linear stripes growing
up 4-5' tall. Cool season grower in damp areas or shallow water. Zones 4-9
Phalaris arundinacea(aureovaiegata) Luteo-picta
Cream-yellow leaves turning green in heat of summer. Zones 4-9
Sesleria caerulea Blue Moor Grass
Low growing, mounds with blue-green leaves to 8" in height and 3/16"
wide, two-toned w/blue on their upper surface and dark green underneath. Grows
best in moist or wet soils in full sun Zones 6-9
Sporobolus heterolepsis Prairie dropseed
1/16" wide threadlike leaves forming a mound up to 15-in tall. Leaves are
medium green in summer, deep orange in October or early November fading to light
copper in winter. Flowers open high above the foliage on stalks up to 30"
tall. Requires full sun or light shade in moist, rich, soils.
*Stipia tenuissima Ponytails
Fine medium green foliage, in continuous bloom from spring till frost. Much
like a mop of green hair. Full sun in ordinary soil, richer soil, and higher
levels of moisture bring about a more lax form. Drought tolerant, loves heat
and sun. After initial acid-green flowers, the clump has a constant frosting
of biscuit-tan maturing flower heads. Upright and arching to 30"tall with
awns 7-1/2" long, Zones 7-10
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