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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 grama	Bouteloua gracilis
Blue hair grass	Koeleria glauca
Blue indian grass	Sorghastrum nutans 'Sioux Blue'
Bluejoint	Andropogon gerardii
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 wheatgrass	Elymus magellanicus
Blue-green moor grass	Sesleria heufleriana
Bronze veil tufted hair grass	Deschampsia cespitosa 'Bronzeschleier'
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
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 palm sedge	Carex muskingumensis 'Little Midge'
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 'Feecey'
Flame grass	Miscanthus sinensis var. purpurascens
Fountain grass	Pennisetum alopecuroides
Fountain spray moor grass	Molinia caerulea 'Strahlenquelle'
Gardener's garters	Phalaris arundinacea
Giant maiden grass	Miscanthus sinensis 'Goliath'
Giant miscanthus	Miscanthus 'Giganteus' syn M. floridulus
Gold dew tufted hair grass	Deschampsia cespitosa 'Goldtau'
Gold dust tufted hair grass	Deschampsia cespitosa 'Goldstaub'
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 needlegrass	Nassella viridula
Green sedge	Carex dipsacea
Hardy pampas grass	Saccharum ravennae
Hedgehog fescue	Festuca punctoria
Idaho blue fescue	Festuca idahoensis 'Siskiyou Blue'
Indian grass	Sorghastrum nutans
Indian ricegrass	Achnatherum hymenoides
Japanese blood grass	Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra'
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
Ravenna grass	Saccharum ravennae
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
Sedge	Carex
Sheep's fescue	Festuca glauca
Side oats grama	Bouteloua curtipendula
Silver feather grass	Miscanthus sinensis 'Silberfeder'
Snowy woodrush	Luzula nivea
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 oriental fountain grass	Pennisetum orientale 'Tall Tails'
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