Ornamental Grasses Native to Connecticut
Here is a list of some ornamental grasses native to Connecticut:
Below 24”:
Agrostis perennans, autumn bentgrass (woodland edges)
Deschampsia cespitosa, tufted hairgrass (moist soil, part shade)
Deschampsia flexuosa, wavy hairgrass (part shade)
Eragrostis spectabilis, purple lovegrass (full sun to part shade)
Chasmanthium latifolium, Northern sea oats
(southeastern native, shade)
Sporobolus heterolepsis, Prairie dropseed
(full sun, very drought tolerant)
Taller than 24”:
Andropogon gerardii, big bluestem (full sun, very tall)
Bouteloua curtipendula, side oats grama
(full sun, very drought tolerant)
Muhlenbergia capillaris, pink muhly grass (full sun, hardy to Zone 6)
Panicum virgatum, switchgrass (full sun, very drought tolerant)
Schizachyrium scoparium, little bluestem (full sun)
Sorghastrum nutans, Indian grass (full sun, very tall)
Sedge for dry shade, under 12”:
Carex appalachica, Appalachian sedge
Carex laxiculmis ‘Hobb’, bunny Blue sedge
Carex pensylvanica, Pennsylvania sedge
Carex plantaginea, seersucker sedge
Carex platyphylla, broadleaf silver or blue ribbon sedge
—Kathy Connolly