We much prefer using Latin names. Why? Because then we know exactly
which plant is being referred to. Common names vary according to regions,
countries, continents and sometimes even from one garden to another.
Then there is a single common name that is given to two different grasses,
such as Bunchgrass (Schizachyrium scoparium and Sporobolus heterolepis).
So common names are not very useful to nurseries! Can you imagine ordering
bunchgrass, thinking you were getting a tall plant, but ending up with
a short one?
Nonetheless we have compiled a list of common names, along with the
Latin equivalent.
| Alkali sacaton, Alkali dropseed |
Sporobolus
airoides |
| Arizona fescue |
Festuca arizonica |
| Atlas fescue |
Festuca mairei |
| Autumn sedge |
Carex dipsacea |
| Autumn moor grass |
Sesleria autumnalis |
| Bath sedge |
Carex davalliana |
| Beardgrass |
Andropogon gerardii |
| Big bluestem |
Andropogon gerardii |
| Bitter switchgrass |
Panicum amarum 'Dewey
Blue' |
| Blackbent |
Panicum virgatum |
| Blooming wonder Miscanthus |
Miscanthus sinensis
'Blutenwunder' |
| Blue fescue |
Festuca glauca |
| Blue fox fescue |
Festuca glauca 'Blaufuchs' |
| Blue grama |
Bouteloua gracilis |
| Blue hair grass |
Koeleria glauca |
| Blue indian grass |
Sorghastrum nutans
'Sioux Blue' |
| Bluejoint |
Andropogon gerardii |
| Bluejoint grass |
Calamagrostis
canadensis |
| Blue meadow grass |
Poa glauca 'Blue Hills' |
| Blue moor grass |
Sesleria caerulea |
| Blue oat grass |
Helictotrichon sempervirens |
| Blue sedge |
Carex flacca |
| Blue switch grass |
Panicum virgatum
'Heavy Metal' |
| Blue-green moor grass |
Sesleria heufleriana |
| Buffalo grass |
Buchloe dactyloides |
| Bunchgrass |
Schizachyrium scoparium,
Sporobolus heterolepis
|
| Bush grass |
Calamagrostis
epigejos |
| Chinese plume grass |
Miscanthus sinensis |
| Chinese silver grass |
Miscanthus sinensis
'Gracillimus', Miscanthus
sinensis 'Variegatus' |
| Corkscrew rush |
Juncus effusus 'Spiralis' |
| Crested hairgrass |
Koeleria pyramidata
syn. K. cristata, K. macrantha |
| Curly wood sedge |
Carex rosea |
| Davall's sedge |
Carex davalliana |
| Dewey Blue bitter panic grass |
Panicum amarum 'Dewey
Blue' |
| Diamond grass |
Stipa brachytricha,
aka Calamagrostis brachytricha |
| Dwarf fountain grass |
Pennisetum alopecuroides
'Hameln' |
| Dwarf miscanthus |
Miscanthus sinensis
'Yaku Jima' |
| Dwarf tufted hair grass |
Deschampsia
cespitosa 'Pixie Fountains' |
| Curley wood sedge |
Carex rosea |
| Elijah's Blue fescue |
Festuca glauca 'Elijah
Blue' |
| Eulalia grass |
Miscanthus sinensis
'Yaku Jima' |
| Eyelash grass |
Bouteloua gracilis |
| Feather reed grass |
Calamagrostis
x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' |
| Feesey ribbon grass |
Phalaris arundinacea
'Feesey' |
| Flame grass |
Miscanthus sinensis
var. purpurascens |
| Fountain grass |
Pennisetum alopecuroides |
| Fountain spray moor grass |
Molinia caerulea
'Strahlenquelle' |
| Gardener's garters |
Phalaris arundinacea |
| Giant miscanthus |
Miscanthus 'Giganteus'
syn M. floridulus |
| Giant sacaton |
Sporobolus wrightii |
| Gold dew tufted hair grass |
Deschampsia cespitosa
'Goldtau' |
| Golden foxtail grass |
Alopecurus pratensis
'Aureovariegatus' |
| Gray's sedge |
Carex grayi |
| Graziella maiden grass |
Miscanthus sinensis
'Graziella' |
| Great basin wild rye |
Elymus cinereus |
| Greater pond sedge |
Carex riparia
'Variegata' |
| Greater wood rush |
Luzula sylvatica |
| Green moor grass |
Sesleria sadlerana |
| Green needlegrass |
Nassella viridula |
| Green sedge |
Carex dipsacea |
| Hungarian blue grass |
Sesleria sadlerana |
| Idaho blue fescue |
Festuca idahoensis
'Siskiyou Blue' |
| Indian grass |
Sorghastrum nutans |
| Indian ricegrass |
Achnatherum hymenoides |
| Japanese silver grass |
Miscanthus sinensis |
| Junegrass |
Koeleria pyramidata
syn. K. cristata, K. macrantha |
| Korean feather reed grass |
Stipa brachytricha |
| Lesser corkscrew rush |
Juncus effusus 'Spiralis' |
| Little bluestem |
Schizachyrium scoparium |
| Maiden grass |
Miscanthus sinensis
'Gracillimus' |
| Mesquite grass |
Bouteloua curtipendula |
| Mosquito grass |
Bouteloua gracilis |
| Narrow-leaved reedgrass |
Calamagrostis
stricta |
| Northern reed grass |
Calamagrostis
stricta |
| Northern sea oats |
Chasmanthium
latifolium |
| Oriental fountain grass |
Pennisetum orientale |
| Palm sedge |
Carex muskingumensis |
| Panic grass |
Panicum virgatum |
| Porcupine grass |
Miscanthus sinensis
'Strictus' |
| Prairie dropseed |
Sporobolus heterolepis |
| Prairie june grass |
Koeleria pyramidata
syn. K. cristata, K. macrantha |
| Purple moor grass |
Molinia caerulea |
| Red silver maiden grass |
Miscanthus sinensis
'Rotsilber' |
| Red switch grass |
Panicum virgatum
'Rotstrahlbusch', P.
virgatum 'Shenandoah', P.
virgatum 'Squaw', P.
virgatum 'Hanse Herms' |
| Reed canary grass |
Phalaris arundinacea |
| Reed grass |
Calamagrostis
x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' |
| Ribbon grass |
Phalaris arundinacea |
| Rosey sedge |
Carex rosea |
| Sedge |
Carex |
| Sheep's fescue |
Festuca glauca |
| Side oats grama |
Bouteloua curtipendula |
| Silver feather grass |
Miscanthus sinensis
'Silberfeder' |
| Silver moor grass |
Sesleria argentea |
| Snowy woodrush |
Luzula nivea |
| Somerset moor grass |
Sesleria albicans |
| Spangle grass |
Chasmanthium
latifolium |
| Spear grass |
Achnatherum
calamagrostis |
| Spring blue fescue |
Festuca cinerea
'Fruehlingsblau' |
| Switch grass |
Panicum virgatum |
| Tall moor grass |
Molinia arundinacea,
Molinia arund. 'Skyracer' |
| Tall prairiegrass |
Panicum virgatum |
| Tall switch grass |
Panicum virgatum 'Northwind' |
| Tufted hair grass |
Deschampsia cespitosa |
| Turkey foot |
Andropogon gerardii |
| Tussock grass |
Deschampsia cespitosa |
| Variegated maiden grass |
Miscanthus sinensis
'Variegatus' |
| Variegated moor grass |
Molinia caerulea 'Variegata' |
| Variegated palm sedge |
Carex muskingumensis
'Ice Fountains', Carex
muskingumensis 'Oehme' |
| Variegated reed grass |
Calamagrostis
x acutiflora 'Overdam',
C. x acut 'Avalanche' |
| Weeping brown sedge |
Carex flagellifera |
| Weeping green sedge |
Carex flagellifera 'Kiwi' |
| Weeping sedge |
Carex pendula |
| Wet meadow sedge |
Carex aurea |
| Wild oats |
Chasmanthium
latifolium |
| Wild oatgrass |
Sorghastrum nutans |
| Wiregrass |
Schizachyrium scoparium |