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Ornamental grasses at Bluestem Nursery

Grasses

Common Name / Latin Name - Ornamental Grasses

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.

Sorting out Miscanthus sinensis is very challenging. For instance we have seen it referred to as Eulalia grass, Maiden grass, Silver grass, Japanese plume grass, Japanese silver grass and Chinese silver grass. Chasmanthium latifolium is also known as Northern sea oats, Spangle grass, Inland sea oats and Wild oats. See the problem?

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