City gardeners want low maintenance. These ornamental grasses are what you’re looking for. They achieve their intended growth heights in summer, and produce flowers (inflorescence). Foliage of some change color as temps start cooling in late summer.

Five of six listed grass species are winter hardy and overwinter outside in large containers or tubs in most regions (USDA hardiness zones 4-9). Muhly grass is the exception in hardiness (zones 6-10). All six tolerate a wide range of soils and deer leave them alone.

Short List (6) of Ornamental Grasses:

Maiden grass, Eulalia grass (Miscanthus sinensis) are beautiful in the early autumn landscape. Several cultivars are very invasive in U.S. landscapes. My Fair Maiden™ (6 – 8 ft. tall x 4 ft. wide), ‘Rigoletto’, ‘Morning Light’, ‘Strictus, and ‘Zebrinus’ (Variegata’) produce very low amounts of sterile seed and are rated less invasive.

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a U.S. native prairie grass that is an exceptional performer. ‘Northwind’ switch grass grows 4 -5 ft. tall and 2.5 ft. wide and is tightly constricted at its base; airy panicles of feathery flowers in late summer. ‘Shenandoah’ forms a small 3 feet tall clump; summer foliage is dark purple cast on its tips dark, black-purple foliage in fall. ‘Cheyenne Sky’ emerges with blue-green leaves in late spring, forming a tidy and well-behaved mound. In late summer deep wine-red leaf tips and airy sprays of dark-red flowers.

Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis x acutifora ‘Karl Foerster’ has a strong upright habit and blooms with showy flowers that ripen to tawny seed heads that decorate the plant through the fall and winter months. Other cultivars are: ‘Overdam’ and ‘Avalanche’.

Muhlygrass (Muhlenbergia capillaries) produce a loose, airy inflorescence that is nothing less than spectacular pink clouds in early fall. Muhlygrass typically grows to 3 ft. tall x 3 ft. wide when in flower (USDA hardiness zones 6-10). Pink Muhly is the most popular form; ‘White Cloud’ sports white flowers and grows more upright than pink form.

Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) are popular native warm season grasses. ‘Carousel’ (2.5 ft.)  has green and cream stripes. ‘The Blues’ (3 ft.) has blue leaf blades with red stem accents. ‘Standing Ovation’ (4 ft.) has blues, greens, pinks, and purples. Sturdy spiky stems mature in the fall with a brilliant display of oranges, reds, yellows and purplish-browns. 

Prairie dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepis) is a warm season, clump-forming grass. Fine-textured, hairy, long green leaves (to 20 inches long and 1/16 inches wide) typically form an arching foliage mound to 15 inches tall and 18 inches wide. Foliage takes on a golden with orange hues in fall, and light bronze in winter. Open, branching flower panicles appear on slender stems which rise well above the foliage clump in late summer to 30-36 inches tall. Flowers have pink and brown tints, and a coriander fragrance in fall.