Plant Type: Grass or Grass-like

Pennesetum spathheolatum

Grasses impart grace and continuity to the garden. They are immensely popular and for good reason. The fine textures and waving motions are synonymous with the best gardens. Appreciation of grasses and their beauty reflects a profound shift in aesthetic acceptance. Most people find them integral now to gardening. Lawns are not the only game in town.The colors offered by the thin blades cover the rainbow. We search for grasses that are not only evergreen but thrive in a host of environments. Remember that grasses make elegant container subjects. Grasses native to Oregon are important to us. They complete any native landscape and make great garden plants. The perfect component in a climate adapted garden. There is great interest in massing sedges and grasses in landscapes and it is growing. Some tips. Look at the eventual spread of the grass. There is nothing more irritating than pulling weeds and invasive grasses out of ornamental stands. And we try to shy away from grasses that require frequent division to thrive. These and several mediterranean species such as Seslerias fit well in our climate as they are winter growers. Truly, in western Oregon the land turns green with the first rains and we should take advantage of those qualities. Nothing wrong with sear, golden stands through winter but we think there are more appropriate choices.

Climate Adapted Plants for Gardeners in the PNW

Carex oshimensis ‘Evergold’

Common variegated sedge that is useful. The arching thin leaves have an interior of rich yellow with green lines on the sides. Dense forming evergreen tuft to 1′ tall by up to 2′ wide. Rich, moisture retentive soil with regular water in full sun to part shade. Tidy discolored leaves individually in spring- do not cut to the ground. It hates this. Gold stems support tan flowers in summer. Unfortunately, this sedge is often thrown into new landscapes and is marketed as a low maintenance carefree drought tolerant thing. Its not. It likes good care to look its best. Moderate deer resistance. Evergreen.

My Favorites

Plant type: Grass or Grass-like, Herbaceous perennial | Sun exposure: Full Sun, Part Shade
Biome: Deer Resistance, Mesic, Oregon Coast | USDA Hardiness zone: Zn6a -5º to -10ºF
Foliage color: Chartreuse/Gold, Variegated | Foliage season: Evergreen

Carex pachystachya

Chamisso Sedge is a wonderful, common and extremely widespread sedge native to the W/NW parts of the US. Upright growing evergreen clumper to 10″ tall x 10″ wide in a season. The complex flowers are brown awns clustered in orbs at the top of very straight 20″ stems. Adaptable to a wide range of conditions from wet riparian zones to drier upland sites. In the wild it accompanies such perennials as Delphinium trollifolium, to Iris tenax. Good looking year round with just a slightly beat up look after the hardest winters. Spreads moderately fast in rich to average soil. Better year round appearance with a light application of compost. Excellent in a Willamette Valley meadow that is wet in winter and bone dry in summer. Each clump is dense enough to inhibit weed competition. Spreads very lightly by seed. Clumps that lose their luster in summer drought can be irrigated. Good garden performance. Great massed plant on 1′ centers. Oregon native plant.

My Favorites

Plant type: Grass or Grass-like, Herbaceous perennial | Sun exposure: Full Sun, Part Shade
Biome: Low Water/No Water, Mesic, Oregon Coast, Western Native, Willamette Valley Natives | USDA Hardiness zone: Zn5a -15º to -20ºF
Foliage color: Dark Green | Foliage season: Evergreen

Carex pansa

California meadow sedge is native to stream banks, and vernally wet places at the beach from British Columbia south in to Baja. A deep green winter growing sedge which each plant reaches about 18″ across and 10″ or so inches high. It flops over gracefully and has a very uniform appearance through the year with light irrigation. This is a winter growing plant that resumes growing and greens up with winter rains. In very cold weather (below 20ºF) it can take on russet tints. A FANTASTIC LAWN SUBSTITUTE where it has been used extensively for that application in California. We should use it here too. Plant on 1′ centers for a lawn (faux lawn) cover from one gallons and water regularly through the first season. No water plantings can go summer dormant but in wetter environs this can be avoided and it will remain green and verdant. Water once a week in summer to remain green. Fantastic ground cover, slope cover as it will out compete weeds and form a uniform cover. Tolerates clay soils well, but some amending will reap rewards with a faster growing plant. Tolerates mowing very well. Oregon native plant.

My Favorites

Plant type: Grass or Grass-like, Herbaceous perennial | Sun exposure: Full Sun, Part Shade
Biome: Deer Resistance, Dry Shade, Hot Aspects, Low Water/No Water, Mesic, Oregon Coast, Western Native | USDA Hardiness zone: Zn7b 10º to 5ºF
Foliage color: Dark Green | Foliage season: Evergreen

Carex praegracilis

Meadow Sedge or Field Sedge is found primarily in meadows and grasslands east of the Cascades. An evergreen fine textured clumping sedge that is gracefully employed in mass plantings, lawn substitutes even freeway margins. Very adaptable plant for average soil with regular water for best appearance. It will make due with conditions that are much less optimal. To 14″ tall but bending immediately in a cascading motion that mimics movement by wind – even when its still. Forest margins, riparian sites. Very useful plant with good winter presence. Full sun to very light shade. Very useful in meadow plantings. Rarely seeds itself and is well behaved. And remember Sedges have edges, rushes are round and grasses like asses have holes. HEH. Oregon native plant.

My Favorites

Plant type: Grass or Grass-like, Herbaceous perennial | Sun exposure: Full Sun, Part Shade
Biome: Low Water/No Water, Oregon Coast, Western Native | USDA Hardiness zone: Zn6a -5º to -10ºF
Foliage color: Mid Green | Foliage season: Evergreen

Carex praegracilis ‘Chisai’

Excellent dwarf form of our native meadow sedge. To just 6″ tall it forms dense spreading evergreen patches. In spring to summer both male and female flower spikes rise to just a few inches above the foliage. Nice looking compact plant that retains its verdancy through the winter. An admirable substitute for lawn and mowing is not necessary. This species is most widespread east of the Cascades. Its native throughout the west and this form was identified in California. Plant on 10″ centers for a modern massed ground cover. The mid green to ochre green leaves are dense and smother competition. This creates less of a hummock affect and more of a small dome. Very easy to grow. Excels in containers. Full sun to light shade, also very high overhead shade (a tall tree canopy). Amending the soil with compost and fertilizer will increase vigor and green appearance and quicken establishment. Spreads by slowly expanding rhizomes. Excellent between stones or pavers. Tolerates light foot traffic. Not really large enough to be bothered by deer once established. Hardy below 0ºF. This useful plant has great smaller scale, ease of culture, and consistent good looks. This would be an excellent smaller grassy component of a meadow. Established plants can take quite a bit of summer drought. Carex praegracilis is an Oregon native plant.

My Favorites

Plant type: Grass or Grass-like, Herbaceous perennial | Sun exposure: Full Sun, Part Shade, Shade
Biome: Hot Aspects, Oregon Coast, Western Native | USDA Hardiness zone: Zn5a -15º to -20ºF
Foliage color: Bronze/Orange, Mid Green | Foliage season: Evergreen

Carex tenuiculmis

We playfully refer to this large sedge as rootbeer grass. Its that color of ochre brown and it shine on this plant all year. One of the hardiest and longest lived New Zealand sedges for full sun, well drained soil and light consistent summer water. To 14″ tall but spreading up to 3′ across. Trailing stems hold little brown flowers in summer. Very good winter appearance and it has survived temperatures below 10ºF with good drainage and full sun. Elegant trailing down a hillside. Very good in large containers including winter containers. Easy to grow. Moderate deer resistance. Give it room to spread.

My Favorites

Plant type: Grass or Grass-like, Herbaceous perennial | Sun exposure: Full Sun, Part Shade
Biome: Deer Resistance, Low Water/No Water, Oregon Coast | USDA Hardiness zone: Zn7b 10º to 5ºF
Foliage color: Bronze/Orange | Foliage season: Evergreen

Carex testacea

Wonderful orange Carex that is a great (if temporary] garden plant. Clumping and upright then broadly arching. Leaves take on intense copper tints for most of the year. Excellent plant for containers, winter containers. Evergreen and for full sun to light shade. Regular to rich, well drained soil- average summer water. Not drought tolerant over the long haul, so at least a soak once a week in summer. To 10″ tall x 20″ wide. Give it room to reach its full dimension. Containerized plants will drape gracefully over the edge. Do not cut back hard in spring- limit your tidying to removing dead/ratty leaves. If you do have to cut it back hard then make sure you apply some all organic fertilizer and water consistently to speed recovery. Average lifespan 3-5 years. Avoid full exposure to subfreezing wind. New Zealand.

My Favorites

Plant type: Grass or Grass-like, Herbaceous perennial | Sun exposure: Full Sun, Part Shade
Biome: Oregon Coast | USDA Hardiness zone: Zn7b 10º to 5ºF
Foliage color: Bronze/Orange | Foliage season: Evergreen

Carex tumulicola

Foothill Sedge is commonly found from the central Willamette Valley south into California. A tightly clumping sedge with medium green foliage and 8″ wiry stems with attending flowers that are tan in spring/summer. In our region this plant can be found in upland situations where it is moist for at least half the year. Its also diminutive and almost hard to find in the wild. Under cultivation its an entirely different beast. Clumps are dense but expand with a pronounced weeping habit. To 8″ tall x 18″ wide for each individual plant. Good massed or as a lawn substitute. Takes mowing if its limited to once a year. Regular irrigation keeps it green and happy. Summer drought sees blades of tan as well as green and not so verdant. It does not run nor become a seeding pest- sticking surprisingly to itself. Plant on 1′ centers for a modern, mounding effect. Takes clay soils well. Water regularly to establish the first summer then taper off (continue watering if you want it to stay staunchly green). Combines well with perennials including native perennials such as Checkermallow (Sidalcea) and, Ranunculus occidentalis (Western Buttercup), as well as Shooting Stars (Dodecatheon) are found in closely related communities with this plant. Full sun to light shade, or high overhead shade. In California it is also known as Berkeley Sedge. Oregon native plant.

My Favorites

Plant type: Grass or Grass-like, Herbaceous perennial | Sun exposure: Full Sun, Part Shade, Shade
Biome: Low Water/No Water, Oregon Coast, Western Native, Willamette Valley Natives | USDA Hardiness zone: Zn6a -5º to -10ºF
Foliage color: Mid Green | Foliage season: Evergreen

Carex tumulicola ‘Willamette Gold’

Wow, when nature smiles on you then you need to take advantage. We found this stable variant of our locally native foothill sedge that is pure gold. As for the species a clumper that forms trailing 12″ foliage. The tight clumps keep to themselves and do not seed or run. Brilliant color all season long in average to enriched soil in full sun to light shade. Water consistently through summer for the best, consistent color. Attending flowers are on wiry straight stems with buff flowers in late spring to early summer. Mass for a much more drought adapted and vivid effect as Hakenochloa- Japanese forest grass. Easy to grow climate adapted native sedge. This is from a seedling batch of Willamette Valley native seed. Tough and good looking all the time. Evergreen- ever gold. To 6″ tall and 1′ wide. Plant on 1′ centers for a massed effect. Excellent in concert with other drought adapted natives, Manzanita etc. A great robust plant. Oregon native plant.

Xera Plants Introduction

My Favorites

Plant type: Grass or Grass-like, Ground cover, Herbaceous perennial | Sun exposure: Full Sun, Part Shade
Biome: Low Water/No Water, Oregon Coast, Western Native, Willamette Valley Natives | USDA Hardiness zone: Zn5b -10º to -15ºF
Foliage color: Chartreuse/Gold | Foliage season: Evergreen

Chionochloa rubra

Snow Tussock from alpine New Zealand is a clump forming grass of great grace and texture. The fine upright growing blades are a soft taupe color that shines in the sunlight. Most often the tips of this grass become cere and it gives it a wilder look. To 2′ x 2′ and a tightly clumping evergreen that increases very slowly. In summer stems clad in tan oat like flowers dangle in a pretty way from the plants top. Full sun to part shade in Well drained, rich soil with light consistent summer moisture. Appreciates an open exposure- avoid neighbors that are too rambunctious or close. Stunning in a mass planting. A great grass for our climate. Do not divide, or move once established.

My Favorites

Plant type: Grass or Grass-like, Herbaceous perennial | Sun exposure: Full Sun, Part Shade
Biome: Oregon Coast | USDA Hardiness zone: Zn7a 5º to 0ºF
Foliage color: Bronze/Orange | Foliage season: Evergreen

View all »