Grasses add seasonal interest

Ornamental grasses are popular landscape plants. They include true grasses, sedges and rushes. With waving and shapely seed heads, they provide late-season interest long after summer flowers are gone. They also provide wildlife habitat and food.

Ornamental grasses come in a variety of shapes: upright, mounded, fountain-like or tufted. Some form distinct bunches, while others spread rampantly. They can be annuals that live only one year, biennials that grow the first year and bloom the second, or perennials that come back year after year. Although most grasses are herbaceous, some are woody, such as bamboo.

Warm-season grasses grow when temperatures are between 80 and 95 degrees. Cool-season grasses grow best between 60 and 75 degrees. Cool-season grasses often require more moisture than warm-season ones. For most areas in northern Nevada, choose grasses that will tolerate temperatures down to minus 10 degrees. Some areas will be warmer, and others will be colder. So, make sure you choose grasses that will thrive in your yard's particular microclimate.

Another important consideration when picking out grasses for your landscape is how much water they require. Sedges and rushes grow naturally in wet areas. Blue fescue, a commonly used cool-season grass, needs moderate to regular watering. The name "fountain grass" includes 120 species of annual and perennial grasses, only a few of which will survive here. Some can be drought-tolerant.

The color or variegation of the leaves sometimes entices us to purchase certain plants. Ornamental grasses come in a wonderful selection of colors " burgundy, pink-striped, variegated white and green or green and yellow. Hopefully, we are practical, choosing only drought-tolerant, hardy plants. However, our common sense is sometimes overruled by our enthusiasm for a beautifully colored plant.

Another factor to consider is fire ignition. Unless grasses are cut back before fire season, their dense, dry growth from previous years can easily ignite. They need to be cleaned yearly and kept green through the fire season.

Ornamental grasses, with their variety of textures, heights and shapes, provide great visual diversity in a landscape. For landscape success, research types and varieties before you purchase them. Prepare the soil well, irrigate properly, and enjoy the beauty ornamental grasses can bring to your landscape.

For information on gardening, contact me, 887-2252 or skellyj@unce.unr.edu, or your local University of Nevada Cooperative Extension office. Check out many useful horticulture publications at www.unce.unr.edu or "Ask a Master Gardener" at mastergardeners@unce.unr.edu.

n JoAnne Skelly is the Carson City/Storey County Extension educator for University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.