Prairie at sundown with colorful wildflowers and bunchgrasses bathed in the evening light.

Wisconsin Native Grasses and Sedges

  12 native grasses that are proven winners and will add interest and color to your yard.
Native Grasses Have Deep Roots
Native Grasses Plant List

  Our Native Prairies

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.

  Deep Roots

Native plants have deep roots that help hold the soil in place and greatly improve 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.

  Grasses Versus Sedges

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 complete catalog of native sedges, see: Wisconsin Native Sedges

  Cool Season Or Warm Season Grasses

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.

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

Big Bluestem

Big Bluestem, Andropogon gerardii Benefits: Birds
Height: 5-8 feet
Bloom: Aug, Sep, Oct
Sun: Full Sun
Zones: 3-8
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.

Buffalograss

Buffalograss, Bouteloua dactyloides Benefits: None
Height: 3-9 inches
Bloom: Jun, Jul, Aug
Sun: Full Sun
Zones: 4-8
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.

Fox Sedge

Fox Sedge, Carex vulpinoidea Benefits: None
Height: 1-3 feet
Bloom: May, Jun, Jul
Sun: Full Sun, Part Sun
Zones: 3-9
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 seed heads 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 seed heads, which spray out attractively from the center of the clump, resemble a fox's tail but are short-lived.

Indian Grass

Indian Grass, Sorghastrum nutans Benefits: Butterflies
Height: 5-8 feet
Bloom: Aug, Sep
Sun: Full Sun
Zones: 3-9
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

Little Bluestem, Schizachyrium scoparium Benefits: N/A
Height: 2-4 feet
Bloom: Aug to Feb
Sun: Full Sun
Zones: 3-10
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.

Pennsylvania Sedge

Pennsylvania Sedge, Carex pensylvanica Benefits: None
Height: 6-12 inches
Bloom: May
Sun: Part Shade, Shade
Zones: 3-9
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

Pink Muhly Grass, Muhlenbergia capillaris Benefits: Birds
Height: 2-3 feet
Bloom: Sep, Oct
Sun: Full Sun, Part Sun, Part Shade
Zones: 5-11
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

Prairie Dropseed, Sporobolus heterolepsis Benefits: Butterflies
Height: 2-3 feet
Bloom: Aug, Sep
Sun: Full Sun, Part Sun
Zones: 3-9
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.

Sideoats Grama

Sideoats Grama, Bouteloua curtipendula Benefits: None
Height: 2-3 feet
Bloom: Aug, Sep
Sun: Full Sun
Zones: 3-9
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.

Tufted Hair Grass

Tufted Hairgrass, Deschampsia cespitosa Benefits: Butterflies, Birds
Height: 1-3 feet
Bloom: June
Sun: Part Shade
Zones: 4-0
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 of very thin, arching, flat dark green grass blades. Numerous flower stems rise in summer from the foliage mound to a height of 3 feet.

Vanilla Sweet Grass

Vanilla Sweet Grass, Hierocloë odorata Benefits: None
Height: 1-2 feet
Bloom: Jul, Aug
Sun: Full Sun
Zones: 3-9
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

Virginia Wild Rye

Virginia Wild Rye, Elymus virginicus Benefits: Butterflies
Height: 4-5 feet
Bloom: Jul, Aug
Sun: Full Sun, Part Sun, Part Shade
Zones: 2-8
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.
Bees flying footer graphic