Common / Botanical Name |
Description |
Photo |
Salt Meadow Hay
Spartina patens |
(spring or fall planting) 1-3 ft., sun, shore erosion control, tolerates dry and moisture once established, Zone 5-9 |
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Sand Love Grass
Eragrostis trichoides |
(spring or fall planting) sun, groups, massing, blooms in Summer 4-5 ft., specimen, bronze inflorescence color, Zone 5-9 |
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Sapphire
Helictotrichon sempervirens |
(spring or fall planting) 2 ft., best blue color foliage, strong grower, Zone 4-8 |
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Scottish Tufted Hair Grass
Deschampsia cespitosa
'Schottland’ |
(spring or fall planting) sun, part shade, groups or massing, 4-5 ft., dark green leaves, lighter green inflorescence, Zone 4-9 |
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Scouring Rush
Equisetum hyemale |
Architecturally and historically significant plant. Not a grass, not a bamboo, not a fern though it reproduces through spores. It is actually a rush but more importantly it is a living fossil. Equisetum is over 100 million years old based on carbon dating and fossil appearance. It is commonly called Scouring Rush because it was used to scrub cooking utensils and tools. It has been a long survivor because it adapts to and tolerates an extremely wide range of soils even growing standing water. It is an evergreen perennial that typically grows 3-5’ tall and is native to the U.S. It is found naturally in wet woods, moist hillsides and peripheries of water bodies (lakes, rivers, ponds). This species features rigid, rough, hollow, vertically ridged, jointed-and-segmented, bamboo-like, dark green stems (to 1/2” diameter at the base) that rise up from the plant rhizomes. Attractive new growth with chartreuse coloring.
- Full- part shade
- Wet
- Deer resistant
- Season of Interest – Four seasons
- Use in bog/aquatic gardens. Japanese gardens. Stream or pond peripheries - Containers.
- Provides strong vertical architecture
- Zone 4-9
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Sea Blue
Festuca glauca 'Meerblau’ |
(spring or fall planting) sun, massing, 8 in., blue-green, Zone 4-8 |
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| Side Oats Grama
Bouteloua curtipendula
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(spring planting) 1.5 ft., basal mound of gray-green foilage, Summer blooms of 3 ft., purple plumes, Zone 4-9 |
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Silk Tassle
Carex morrowii 'Temnolepsis' |
(spring planting) narrow leaves, Zone 5-9 |
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Silver Arrow
Miscanthus sinensis 'Silberpfeil' |
(spring planting) 6-7 ft., green and white variegated foliage with reddish plumes, blooms Aug-Sept, Zone 6-9 |
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Silver Feather
Miscanthus sinensis 'Silberfeder’ |
(spring planting) 6-8 ft., sun, specimen, groups, good screen, beautiful tall silver inflorescence high above foliage, blooms Aug-Oct, staying attractive into Winter, Zone 5-9 |
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Silver Spider
Miscanthus sinensis 'Silberspinne’ |
(spring planting) 5-6 ft., narrow leaves, silvery flowers, graceful plant for the small garden, Zone 5-9 |
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Silver Spike Grass
Spodiopogon sibiricus |
(spring or fall planting) 4-5 ft., sun, blooms July-Aug., reddish foliage in late Summer, Zone 5-9 |
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Silver Striped Pampas Grass
Cortaderia 'Silver Comet’ |
(spring planting) 6-8 ft., white variegated foliage, white plumes, Zone 8-10 |
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Silver Tower
Miscanthus sinensis 'Silberturm’ |
(spring planting) 8-10 ft., good green foliage with large silver flowers in Sept-Oct, the tallest M. sinensis, Zone 6-9 |
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Silver Variegated Japanese Sedge
Carex morrowii 'Variegata' |
(spring planting) thin silver centers on leaves, evergreen, Zone 5-9 |
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Silver Variegated Maiden Grass
Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light’ |
‘Morning Light’ is tolerant of summer heat and humidity. It mulitplies slowly in by short rhizomes, and usually retains a tight clump shape. 'Morning Light' tends to keep its upright shape better than some other Miscanthus cultivars and rarely flops. For good winter interest and to provide protection for the crowns, leave the foliage standing until very late winter before new shoots appear. It is a straw-beige by winter but in fall it has tiny reddish-copper flowers that appear in long tassel-like inflorescences above the foliage. Tassels gradually turn into silvery white plumes as the seeds mature later than most Miscanthus. Kurt Bluemel, Inc. selection.
- spring planting
- Height: 4 to 6 feet
- Spread: 2.5 to 4 feet
- Zone 5-9
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Small Japanese Silver Grass
Miscanthus oligostachyus |
(spring planting) 3-4 ft., sun, groups, silver inflorescence, blooms mid-Aug, Zone 4-9 |
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Smooth Cord Grass
Spartina alterniflora |
(spring or fall planting) 4-5 ft., full sun, seashore plant, rapid grower, Zone 6-9 |
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Source of Ray
Molinia caerulea 'Strahlenquelle’ |
(spring planting) 1.5-2 ft. foliage with plumes reaching 4 ft., bowing under weight of large purple flower heads, Zone 4-8 |
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Spring Blue
Festuca glauca 'Frühlingsblau’ |
(spring or fall planting) sun, massing, 6 in., light blue , Zone 4-8 |
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| Stiff Feather Reed Grass Calamagrostis 'Stricta' |
(spring or fall planting) sun, groups, 5-7 ft., excellent inflorescence color of reddish-bronze turning to buff, blooms mid-Summer and well into Fall, Zone 4-9 |
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Striped Feather Reed Grass
Calamagrostis 'Overdam’ |
(spring or fall planting) sun, groups, 1-3 ft., very choice, white variegated foliage, gold inflorescence, sun, part. shade, Zone 5-9 |
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Striped Giant Reed
Arundo donax 'Variegata’ |
(spring planting) Zone 7-10 |
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Sugarcane plume grass
Saccharum giganteum (Erianthus)
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This is one of the tallest most commanding grass stands in the garden. The foliage is actually only about 5’ tall in handsome clumps, but it haults the on-looking once it blooms. The voluminous plumes can reach up to 10’ tall with airy heads that are reminiscent of pampas grass. Makes a suitable green wall or wind barrier, as it is very strong. It has good winter interest as well. Majestic heights make this a unique addition to any landscape
- Full Sun
- Dry Soil Moisture
- Drought Tolerant
- Deer resistant
- Season of Interest – Blooms late Summer/Fall
- Use as specimen, back border, massing for green wall or windbreakmers.
- Zone 6
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Sweet Flag
Acorus calamus |
(spring or fall planting) 2-3 ft., water edge,Zone 5-10 |
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Switch Grass
Panicum amarum 'Dewey Blue' |
(spring or fall planting) P. 'Dewey Blue' is a clump forming, blue foliage grass with a spreading rhizome and grows to 4 feet in height. This plant is native to the shorelines of Louisiana up to Connecticut. Plant in full sun to part shade and moist to dry soil, Zone 2-9 |
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Switch Grass
Panicum virgatum 'Cloud Nine' |
(spring or fall planting) 3-7 ft., sun, moisture tolerant, groups, massing, blooms Aug-Oct, blue-green foliage, 7-8 ft., light blue foliage, golden rays of inflorescence, Zone 5-9 |
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| Switch Grass
Panicum virgatum 'Dallas Blues |
(spring or fall planting) 3-7 ft., sun, moisture tolerant, groups, massing, blooms Aug-Oct, blue-green foliage, 5-6 ft., very full, broad purplish blue foliage, leaf blades 2 ft. tall and wide, iridescent pale purple-rose panicles, blooms late Summer through Fall, Zone 5-9 |
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Switch Grass
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal' |
Tolerates wide range of soils, including dry ones, but prefers moist, sandy or clay soils. Tends to flop in rich soils. Generally best in full sun. Will grow in part shade, but begins to lose its columnar form in too much shade, Cut back clumps to the ground in late winter to early spring. 'Heavy Metal' is a switch grass cultivar which features metallic-blue foliage and a columnar form. It is a clump-forming, warm season grass which typically grows in an upright, vertical clump to 3' tall (to 5' when in flower). Stems typically retain vertical form without flopping throughout the growing season and into winter. Kurt Bluemel, Inc. selection.
- (spring or fall planting)
- Height: 4 to 5 feet
- Spread: 1 to 2 feet
- Zone 5-9
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Switch Grass
Panicum virgatum 'Heiliger Hain' |
(spring or fall planting) 3-7 ft., sun, moisture tolerant, groups, massing, blooms Aug-Oct, blue-green foliage, 3 1/2-4 ft., Blue foliage similar to P.'Heavy Metal'. Turns a Strong burgandy color early. Full Sun, Zone 5-9 |
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Switch Grass
Panicum virgatum 'Northwind' |
(spring or fall planting) 3-7 ft., sun, moisture tolerant, groups, massing, blooms Aug-Oct, blue-green foliage, 6 ft., steel blue foliage with wide leaf blades, native to eastern USA, Zone 5-9 |
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Switch Grass
Panicum virgatum 'Prairie Sky' |
(spring or fall planting) 3-7 ft., sun, moisture tolerant, groups, massing, blooms Aug-Oct, blue-green foliage, 4-5 ft., bluer than 'Heavy Metal', arching and bushy, good Fall color, Zone 5-9 |
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Switch Grass
Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah' |
(spring or fall planting) 3-7 ft., sun, moisture tolerant, groups, massing, blooms Aug-Oct, blue-green foliage, 2-3 ft., introduced by Dr. Hans Simon of Germany, shortest of group. Similar to Rotstrahlbusch, Zone 2-9 |
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Switch Grass
Panicum virgatum 'Squaw' |
(spring or fall planting) 3-7 ft., sun, moisture tolerant, groups, massing, blooms Aug-Oct, blue-green foliage, 3-4 ft., Kurt Bluemel selection, pink inflorescence in Aug-Sept, good reddish foliage in Fall, Zone 5-9 |
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Switch Grass
Panicum virgatum 'Warrior' |
(spring or fall planting) 3-7 ft., sun, moisture tolerant, groups, massing, blooms Aug-Oct, blue-green foliage, 4-5 ft., Kurt Bluemel selection, red foliage in Fall, Zone 5-9 |
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