Maiden Grasses
Everyone in Colorado Springs loves grasses for their beauty and easy care. They are also very versatile. You can use grasses for borders, vertical accents, a spiky soft green mass planting, or to add to containers. Some other benefits of tall grasses are cold hardy for zone 5, nice and shiny in the late summer when they open their fuzzy flowers. They stand tall in the garden, provide winter interest, and one of the best things is they have few pest or problems and deer walk on by! One thing they do need is an annual haircut.
If you want to improve your lawn care in Colorado Springs, take a look at these six great maiden grasses!
Little Kitten Maiden Grass
Miscanthus sinensis ‘Little Kitten’
Plant Description: Green blades have highlights of creamy-white margins and midveins creating a shimmering silvery appearance. Adds visual excitement wherever used. Accepts dry conditions. Deciduous.
Plant type: Ornamental Grass
Deciduous/evergreen: Herbaceous
Growth habit: Narrow
Growth rate: Moderate
Average landscape size: Clumps to 5 ft. tall, 3-4 ft. wide. Flower stalks reach 6 ft. tall.
Special features: Deer Resistant, Easy Care, Waterwise
Foliage color: Variegated
Blooms: Late summer
Flower color: Red
Flower attributes: Flowers for Cutting, Showy Flowers
Design Ideas: Even more white than its variegated sister, this is an improved accent for beds and borders. Plant as a single vertical accent among low-growing, dark-green plants, or line it up as a hedge or informal linear cluster. Try matched potted specimens on corners of a square patio. Perfect near water gardens and fountains as wildlife cover, to disguise mechanical pumps or filters and for the illusion of reeds. Also, lovely in cobalt-blue, glazed ceramic pots for patio, porch or terrace.
Companion Plants: Blanket Flower (Gaillardia); Shasta Daisy (Chrysanthemum); Tickseed (Coreopsis); Sedum (Sedum); Salvia (Salvia)
Dwarf Maiden Grass
Miscanthus sinensis ‘Yakushima’
USDA Hardiness Zone: 5 – 9
Plant Description: Versatile, compact version of regular Maiden Grass. Showy clumps are topped by silvery white blooms. Free flowering at an early age. Golden bronze autumn foliage. Great as specimen or in groupings.
Botanical Pronunciation: mis-KAN-thus sin-EN-sis
Plant type: Ornamental Grass
Deciduous/evergreen: Herbaceous
Growth habit: Narrow
Growth rate: Fast
Average landscape size: Fast growing clumps are 3 to 4 ft. tall, 3 ft. wide.
Special features: Deer Resistant, Dwarf Plant, Fall Color, Waterwise
Foliage color: Green
Blooms: Late summer into fall
Flower color: White
Garden style Asian/Zen, Contemporary, Mediterranean, Rustic
Flower attributes Flowers for Cutting, Showy Flowers
Design Ideas Even though this is labeled a dwarf, this is still a big grass that needs space to look its best. Adds unique texture and color contrast to mid-sized perennial and shrub borders. Excellent for around water gardens or along dry stream beds. Even works well in semi-shaded environments, where it grows long and luxurious. Grow in drought-resistant gardens for golden fall effects. Perfect for wild gardens as a woodland bright spot or as a taller accent in meadows. Great for Colorado Springs lawn care.
Companion Plants Ninebark (Physocarpus); Juniper (Juniperus); Potentilla (Potentilla); Aster (Aster); Cranesbill (Geranium); Catmint (Nepeta)
Gold Bar Maiden Grass
Miscanthus sinensis ‘Gold Bar’
USDA Hardiness Zone: 5 – 9
Plant Description: Dense, dramatic gold striping accents every leaf of this bright green leaves from crown to tip. Burgundy inflorences provide interesting winter accent. Valuable for adding texture to beds and borders. Outstanding in upright containers. Herbaceous. Tall clumping grass with attractive foliage and colorful inflorescence late summer into winter. Use to add height and form to the garden. Also, good for a hedge.
Plant type: Ornamental Grass
Deciduous/evergreen: Herbaceous
Growth habit: Narrow
Growth rate: Moderate
Average landscape size: Upright, compact habit with slow growth 4 to 5 ft. tall, 20 in. wide.
Special features: Dramatic Foliage Color, Easy Care, Waterwise
Foliage color: Variegated
Blooms: Late summer to fall.
Flower color: Red
Garden style Asian/Zen, Contemporary, Mediterranean, Rustic
Flower attributes: Showy Flowers
Companion Plants: Ninebark (Physocarpus); Juniper (Juniperus); Potentilla (Potentilla) Cranesbill (Geranium); Catmint (Nepeta)
Purpurascens Maiden Grass
Miscanthus sinensis ‘Purpurascens’
USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 – 9
Plant Description: Clump forming with wider leaves, green summer foliage turns brilliant red-orange in fall, narrow silvery plumes mid-summer.
Plant type: Ornamental grass
Deciduous/evergreen: Herbaceous
Growth habit: Narrow
Average landscape size: Tall 3-4′ 2-6′ in flower
Special features: Spectacular fall color and cold hardiness make this Miscanthus stand out. Foliage shows maroon wash turning reddish orange in fall – contrasting nicely with the feathery white plumes. Reddish-tinged flowers appear on tassel-like plumes above the foliage in late summer and in fall gradually become creamy white. Burgundy foliage and creamy white plumes remain long into winter. Picture-perfect with sunshine highlighting the silky plumes. These colors are sure to add some pop to your Colorado Springs lawn.
Blooms: Mid-Fall to Late Fall
Flower attributes: Reddish-tinged flowers
Morning Light Maiden Grass
Miscanthus sinensis ‘Morning Light’
USDA Hardiness Zone: 5 – 9
Plant Description: Green blades have highlights of creamy-white margins and midveins creating a shimmering silvery appearance. Adds visual excitement wherever used. Accepts dry conditions. Deciduous.
Plant type: Ornamental Grass
Deciduous/evergreen: Herbaceous
Growth habit: Narrow
Growth rate: Moderate
Average landscape size: Clumps to 5 ft. tall, 3-4 ft. wide. Flower stalks reach 6 ft. tall.
Special features: Deer Resistant, Easy Care, Waterwise
Foliage color: Variegated
Blooms: Late summer
Flower color: Red
Flower attributes: Flowers for Cutting, Showy Flowers
Design Ideas Even more white than its variegated sister, this is an improved accent for beds and borders. Plant as a single vertical accent among low-growing, dark-green plants, or line it up as a hedge or informal linear cluster. Try matched potted specimens on corners of a square patio. Perfect near water gardens and fountains as wildlife cover, to disguise mechanical pumps or filters and for the illusion of reeds. Also, lovely in cobalt-blue, glazed ceramic pots for patio, porch or terrace.
Variged Maiden Grass
Miscanthus sinensis ‘Variegates’
USDA Hardiness Zone: 5 – 9
Plant description: Green blades have bold creamy-white margins and midveins creating a shimmering silvery appearance. Adds visual excitement wherever used.
Deciduous/evergreen: herbaceous
Growth habit: Narrow
Average landscape size: Clumps to 5-9 ft. tall, 4-5 ft. wide.
Special features: Showy, Good Cut, Good Dried, ‘Variegatus’ is a substantial grass which tends to flop more than most other Miscanthus cultivars.
Foliage color: Flower attributes: Reddish-brown and colorful
Blooms: July to February
Designs Ideas: Because of its width plant in a very visible large landscape. They are wonderful planted next to ponds or water feature. These plants like a moist setting and the grass’s reflection in the water gives you even more bang for your buck!
Here is the simple trick to cutting your grasses down in the spring time. Just wrap a length of heavy wire or string around the grass clump about a foot above the ground, pull it tight and twist the ends together and then add a second wire or string 6 to 8” above first one. Cut the grass about 4” from the bottom and take the bundle to the compost pile.
So, no matter what size of your garden, you can step up your lawn care in Colorado Springs with one or more of these wonderful grasses. In truth, what other plant do you know that you can put so little effort into and get back such awesome returns? If you want to take your landscaping to the next level check out all the services we offer and call for a free quote today!