Wisconsin Native Grasses and Sedges

Native grasses formed the foundation of the expanses of prairies, savannas and meadows that once covered the greater mid-west. They are a natural component, or the basis, of any designed native landscape — offering the perfect complement to native wildflowers in both naturalized and formal settings.

Native grasses can be incorporated individually as ornamental or structural elements. They can also be grouped or massed, or they can serve as a matrix in a designed plant community. Native grasses add striking fall color and visual interest well into winter; they provide food, nesting materials and habitat cover for birds; and they serve as host plants for numerous butterfly and moth species, as well.

Native plants have deep roots that help hold the soil in place and greatly improves the soil's ability to absorb and filter water, removing pollutants before they enter our rivers and streams. During the dry summer months, native root systems reach deep into the ground to find water, making them more drought resistant than non-native grasses.

Prairies with their native grasses are sometimes called upside-down forests because much of the plant is below the ground. Many native grasses have roots 5 to 15 feet deep. Typical lawn grasses reach a depth of only a few inches.

Sedges are primarily perennials, and are mostly evergreen, cool-season, shade-loving plants. They generally prefer moist to wet environments. While more diminutive than many grasses, sedges provide support to a variety of animals. Native sedges belong to the genus Carex, at around 2,000 species, one of the largest plant genera on earth.

The stems of grasses are hollow and either round or flat with swollen nodes or joints along the stems. Their leaf blades are flat and their leaf sheaths are open. The stems of sedges, on the other hand, are generally solid and triangular. Their leaf blades may be folded, and the base of each leaf is closed around the stem.

For a catalog of native sedges, see: Wisconsin Native Sedges

Grasses that mature early in the growing season and grow while the soil is still cool are referred to as “cool season” grasses. Virginia Wild Rye and Tufted Hairgrass are cool season grasses. Sedges are also cool season growers. Indian Grass, Little Bluestem, Big Bluestem and Prairie Dropseed are all warm season grasses.

Establishing A Native Grass Lawn provides information on how to replace non-native turf grasses with Wisconsin native grasses.

Native Grass	Season	Wetland	Erosion Control	Benefit	Ornamental	Ground Cover
Buffalograss	Warm	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Big Bluestem	Warm	No	Yes	Bird	No	No
Sideoats Grama	Warm	No	No	Birds	No	No
Virginia Wild Rye	Cool	No	Yes	Butterflies	No	No
Indian Grass	Warm	No	Yes	Butterflies	No	No
Little Bluestem	Warm	No	No	Butterflies	Yes	No
Fox Sedge	Warm	Yes	No	N/A	No	No
Pennsylvania Sedge	Cool	No	No	N/A	No	Yes
Prairie Dropseed	Warm	No	No	Butterflies	No	Yes
Pink Muhly Grass	Warm	No	Yes	Birds	Yes	No
Vanilla Sweet Grass	Cool	Yes	No	N/A	No	No
Tufted Hair Grass	Cool	No	Yes	Butterflies	Yes	No

Buffalograss Benefits: None Height: 3-9 inches Bloom: Jun, Jul, Aug Sun: Full Sun Zones: 4, 5 Soil: Acid, Clay, Loam Moisture: Dry, Medium	Description: Buffalograss, Buchloe dactyloides, is a dioecious, drought-tolerant, heat-resistant, fine-textured, warm season perennial grass. It spreads by stolons. Somewhat inconspicuous green flowers bloom from June until August. Easily grown in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun.
Big Bluestem Benefits: Birds Height: 5-8 feet Bloom: Aug, Sep, Oct Sun: Full Sun Zones: 3, 4, 5 Soil: Clay, Loam, Sand Moisture: Dry, Medium, Moist	Description: Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) is a tall perennial, warm season grass that was the dominant grass of the tallgrass prairie. It may be grown as an ornamental grass because of its attractive foliage which changes color seasonally, its good architectural height and its interesting flower/seed heads.
Sideoats Grama Benefits: None Height: 2-3 feet Bloom: Aug, Sep Sun: Full Sun Zones: 3, 4, 5 Soil: Sand, Loam Moisture: Dry, Medium	Description: Side-oats Grama (Bouteloua curtipendula), is a rarity among native grasses in that it sports tiny attractive flowers during its summer bloom time. When the seed heads dry, they have a distinctly oat-like appearance. Side-oats is a warm-season grass that grows actively during the summer months when soil temperatures are warm. May be mowed for turf grass.
Virginia Wild Rye Benefits: Butterflies Height: 4-5 feet Bloom: Jul, Aug Sun: Full Sun, Part Sun, Part Shade Zones: 2, 3, 4, 5 Soil: Clay, Loam, Sand Moisture: Medium, Moist, Wet	Description: Virginia Wild Rye (Elymus virginicus) is a graceful, short-lived perennial similar to Canada Wild Rye, but with a smaller, less showy seed head. It actively grows during the spring and fall when soil temperatures are cool.As a fast-growing grass, Virginia Wild Rye is a good choice for erosion control and stream bank stabilization. It prefers rich, moist areas in clearings or along the forest edge, but can also grow in drier, sunny conditions as well.
Indian Grass Benefits: Butterflies Height: 5-8 feet Bloom: Aug, Sep Sun: Full Sun Zones: 3, 4, 5 Soil: Clay, Loam, Sand Moisture: Dry, Medium, Moist	Description: Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans) is a warm season perennial grass which typically occurs in prairies, glades and open woods. It was one of the dominant grasses of the tallgrass prairie which once covered large parts of the Midwest. It forms upright clumps of slender, blue-green leaves Foliage turns orange-yellow in fall and usually retains hints of color into the winter. Effective for erosion control
Little Bluestem Benefits: N/A Height: 2-4 feet Bloom: Aug to Feb Sun: Full Sun Zones: 3, 4, 5 Soil: Loam Moisture: Dry, Medium	Description: Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), a native to prairies, fields, clearings, hills, limestone glades, roadsides, waste areas and open woods. It was one of the dominant grasses of the vast tallgrass prairie region which once covered rich and fertile soils. Purplish-bronze flowers on branched stems rising above the foliage in August. Flowers are followed by clusters of fluffy, silvery-white seed heads which are attractive and often persist into winter.
Fox Sedge Benefits: None Height: 1-3 feet Bloom: May, Jun, Jul Sun: Full Sun, Part Sun Zones: 3, 4, 5 Soil: Loam Moisture: Wet	Description: Fox Sedge (Carex vulpinoidea) is a remarkable wetland sedge grows to form clumps two feet in diameter. In mid-summer seedheads spray out from the center of the plant for an excellent effect. Its narrow grass-like leaf blades grow in 2 feet clumps up to 3 feet in height. The seedheads, which spray out attractively from the center of the clump, resemble a foxs tail but are short-lived.
Pennsylvania Sedge Benefits: None Height: 6-12 inches Bloom: May Sun: Part Shade, Shade Zones: 3, 4, 5 Soil: Loam Moisture: Dry, Medium	Description: Pennsylvania Sedge (Carex pensylvanica) is a shade-loving perennial sedge that is native to thickets and dry woodland areas. It typically grows in loose colonies with a creeping habit. Roots are reddish brown. It is often found in areas with oak trees, hence the additional common name of oak sedge. This is a low sedge with soft, delicate, arching, semi-evergreen leaves. It typically grows in a clump. It is semi-evergreen in moderately cold winter climates.
Pink Muhly Grass Benefits: Birds Height: 2-3 feet Bloom: Sep, Oct Sun: Full Sun, Part Sun, Part Shade Zones: 5, 6 Soil: Clay, Loam, Sand, Rocky Moisture: Dry, Medium	Description: Pink Muhly Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) is one of the most exciting members of the grass world. It is sought after for several reasons: spectacular pink plume color, drought tolerance and undemanding nature. Pink Muhly Grass grows in a mound with erect, blue-green foliage until September when spectacular, billowing pink seed heads form a cotton-candy crown.
Prairie Dropseed Benefits: Butterflies Height: 2-3 feet Bloom: Aug, Sep Sun: Full Sun, Part Sun Zones: 3, 4, 5 Soil: Clay, Loam, Sand Moisture: Medium	Description: Prairie Dropseed (Sporobolus heterolepsis) is a great choice of grass for your native landscape is Prairie Dropseed, also called Northern Dropseed. When seed stalks emerge late summer, brush up against it for a cilantro smell. It has a wonderful tussock-forming growth habit and takes on a nice golden hue all throughout the fall and winter.
Vanilla Sweet Grass Benefits: None Height: 1-2 feet Bloom: Jul, Aug Sun: Full Sun Zones: 3, 4, 5 Soil: Clay, Loam, Sand Moisture: Medium, Moist	Description: Vanilla Sweet Grass (Hierocloë odorata) is an aromatic, cool-season perennial growing 10-24 inches in height and spreading about 2 feet per year by underground rhizomes.Its natural habitat is wetlands, prairies, and savannas in wet to medium moisture soils. Though Sweet Grass prefers rich, moist soils, it will grow in almost any soil that receives a minimum of a half day of sun
Tufted Hair Grass Benefits: Butterflies, Birds Height: 1-3 feet Bloom: June Sun: Part Shade Zones: 4, 5 Soil: Clay, Loam, Sand Moisture: Medium, Moist	Description: Tufted Hair Grass (Deschampsia cespitosa) is a clump-forming, cool season grass which is often grown as an ornamental. The grass emerges green and turns gold late in the season, keeping good color and form for winter interest. It typically forms a low, dense tussock (to 16 inches tall) of very thin (1/2 inch wide), arching, flat to inrolled, dark green grass blades (to 2 feet long). Numerous flower stems rise in summer from the foliage mound to a height of 3 feet .

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