Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
1 rating

Thursday - July 23, 2009

From: rockland, MA
Region: Northeast
Topic: Grasses or Grass-like
Title: Looking for a tall ornamental grass native to Massachusetts.
Answered by: Jimmy Mills

QUESTION:

I am looking for a tall (4-8 ft) ornamental grass, native to Massachusetts/ New England. It needs to be tolerant of moist to wet soil, and preferably colorful. Thanks for your help.

ANSWER:

We applaud your preference for native plants. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is committed to the care and propagation of plants native not only to North America but to the area in which they are being grown.

The use ornamental grasses in landscapes is gaining in popularity, and this site from the University of Illinois Extension has a lot of information about their selection and use. However, be aware that several of the genera that they mention are non natives (Pennisetum, Miscanthus, Molina, Lagurus and, Briza).

To find some possibilities for you, lets go to our Native Plant Database and scroll down to the Combination Search box and make these selections; select Massachusetts under State, Grass/grass-like under Habit, Perennial under Duration, Sun under Light requirement, and Moist under Soil Moisture. Click the "submit combination search" button and you will get a list of 56 native plants in Massachusetts that match these characteristics. Clicking on the name of each plant will bring up its NPIN page that contains a description of the plant, its habitat and growing conditions, along with images. 

Here are a few to consider:

Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem) 

Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem)

Sorghastrum nutans (Indiangrass)

Panicum virgatum (switchgrass)

Calamagrostis canadensis (bluejoint)

You can make your own selections and adjust the list by altering the choices.

You might contact the Massachusetts Horticulture Society for further assistance.


Andropogon gerardii

Schizachyrium scoparium

Sorghastrum nutans

Panicum virgatum

 

 


Calamagrostis canadensis

 


 

More Grasses or Grass-like Questions

Plants for creek bank in North Carolina
April 29, 2011 - I would like a list of plant options to plant on an almost vertical creek bank in some location in Charlotte, NC. The creek runs through a 300 acre basin, maybe 3 or 4' high banks and I have never se...
view the full question and answer

Planting a meadow garden in Pennsylvania
November 16, 2014 - I live in Saxonburg PA near Pittsburgh PA. I want to put a meadow garden in my back yard. We are building a home so there is no established yard yet just trees and weeds. Where do I start . What...
view the full question and answer

Best time to plant wetland plants in NY
April 19, 2010 - Hello Mr. Smarty Plants - I'm working on a fresh water, shoreline wetland creation project in New York State. I've created two zones of native wetland plantings, an emergent shallow marsh zone ...
view the full question and answer

Possibility of replacing Bermudagrass with native grasses and wildflowers
November 24, 2008 - Are there any native grasses and wildflowers that can compete with bermuda grass to make a nativ-y wild area without removing the bermuda?
view the full question and answer

Shade Tolerant Grasses and Groundcovers for Waco TX
March 15, 2013 - What is the best shade-tolerant grass? What is the best shade-tolerant ground cover?
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.