A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2007 What are the best ornamental grasses for Northern IL?

Hi everyone!

What are the hardiest ornamental grasses for Northern IL? (zone 5a)
Greg

im in zone 6 and my white p-grass dose great very hardy, i never even mulch it. i just leave the old groth on it through winter then clean it out in spring.

Hi Greg!

I don't know where you are located in Northern Illinois but I would check with Red Buffalo Nursery in Hebron, Illinois. I do know that they specialize in plants which are native to the Northeastern and Southeastern Wisconsin area, so they will probably be able to give you some good information about what would be suitable and hardy for your area.

Hi...
I live in Rockford....

Greg

Well, it's not exactly in your backyard, but it seems I remember it being up in the Rockford area. At least, I thought that was one of the biggest towns I remember going through.

It's so nice to meet you! I guess you're a Cubs and Bears fan! Actually, since I love birds, I'm a Cardinals fan, but I also like the Rams! Of course, I've always loved the Cubs, too! Of course, I think everybody does!!!

Well, Red Buffalo Nursery may not exactly in your backyard, but it seems I remember it being up in the Rockford area. At least, I thought that was one of the biggest towns I remember going through when I was up there.

It's so nice to meet you! I guess you're a Cubs and Bears fan! Actually, since I love birds, I'm a Cardinals fan, but I also like the Rams! Of course, I've always loved the Cubs, too! Of course, I think everybody does!!!

I'm in zone 4 and pampas grass does very well here. I also leave the old growth until spring and then I cut it all down. It can be a lot of work at that time because it is all laying down because the snow has weighed it down. But, that is because I have a very large area of it. A small portion wouldn't be much work at all!

I have two sections of Pampas grass and it grows very well for me. I love it! In late summer or early fall, I like to cut some of the plumes and use them in floral arrangements. I think they look awesome!

Thanks for the help! It's nice to meet you also.
We have some Pampas grass started...hopefully ti will make it...
I will be on the lookout at out local nurseries this spring.

Greg

patches i do the same thing!! i put em in vaces in the house it turns such a pretty golden color when it dies off.
jessica
your so right a smaller plant would be eaiser! i have 4 large w-p-grasses their root ball are 4f x 4f it takes forever to clean em out, but i love them! was thinking of using a hedge trimmer to cut the dead off, wonder if that would work?

gardenguy
good luck with your p-grass! if you let it grow big remember to clean it up in spring. otherwise it will rot in the middle. i learned thet the hard way.......good luck!

Sibyl, you are so right! I just cut one of mine down today, but I couldn't get to the other one before dark. Now I don't when I will be able to get to it because of the storms coming in and the rain is supposed to last all week-end. :rolleyes: Actually, this is this first year I've remembered to get a jump on it before the new shoots start coming up.

I love pampa grass when it's small but when they get big they are way to much for me. I wonder if there is a dwarf variety. Does anyone know?

What do you mean when you say they get too big for you? Do you mean they get too tall or just too big around? Actually, mine never seem to get any taller than they were the second year I had them. All of last years growth always gets cut off in the spring and the stubs get burnt off to the ground, then the new shoots come up. Although they do get wider and take up more space, I just dig up some clumps and give them away to friends and neighbors.

Karl Foerster's Feather reedgrass has a June bloom 4-5' tall, a stiff upright growth is popular.

Blue Oats Grass-form a blue mound of foliage larger then dwarf blue fescue, tolerant of heavy soil, like full sun, & good drainage.

Silver Feather- 6-8', clump forming, large silvery white plumes in late summer,

Indian Grass- I started this one from seed-upright, clump forming grass-3'-6' tall, late summer plumes, grass fall color orange to purple.

I love the grasses. I look for grasses that won't spread, some are invasive like yellow ribbongrass, you want a grass that will stay in a clump. The plumes or flower heads vary during the season so make sure you know that. I leave the grasses up during the winter & cut them down in the spring so they will grow out new. All my grasses are in full sun in clay soil with good drainage. There are grasses out there also that don't mind having wet feet. I also live in zone 4a so if the grasses can survive here they can survive anywhere.

look into pennisetum rubrum , it was hardy in zone 4-5 WV & PA.

My clump was well over 6 feet and easily that across. I would put out the dead leaves in the spring and any plumbs that fell over I would cut off and use in dried arrangements. And the leaves were very very sharp.

oh, geesh, 6' across would be more than I have room for in my garden. One of mine does get about 6' feet tall, but both clumps are only about 1-1/2 - 2' across. I guess they would be a lot larger, but I do manage to keep them contained by digging around the perimeter each spring.