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Bold Grasses for the Fall Garden

Pennisetum ‘Jade Princess’ is a spectacular variety with huge, showy plumes.

With many summer-flowering annuals beginning to fade, autumn is the season when many ornamental grasses take center stage. I do not want to dismiss those ornamental grasses that look quite good in the garden during the summer, and some that look good all year round, but by careful selection, a gardener can pick certain grasses that are at their prime in the fall season. In my neighborhood, I see ornamental grasses being used much more frequently than in years past. Nowadays, there is such a large assortment available that I will highlight favorites that have consistently performed well in my Pacific Northwest garden.

Keep in mind that most grasses, these included, grow best in full sun and require well-drained soil with average to good fertility. Hardiness varies among the perennial species. Adding a little Canadian sphagnum peat moss at planting time is always welcome.

Ornamental Millet

The bold ‘Purple Majesty’ ornamental millet stands out in the garden.

An annual grass that I regularly see in garden centers is the bold purple ornamental millet (Pennisetum glaucum ‘Purple Majesty’), which reaches up to 4 feet. It provides purple foliage, which can be quite striking from summer into fall. If planted in a full sun location, the blades will be the darkest. Upright purple flower spikes appear above the foliage, usually in mid to late summer. More compact ‘Jade Princess’, which reaches 2-2.5 feet, is another exceptional variety with lush green blades and large, puffy purple-red spikes that curve at the tips. Ornamental millet spikes are often cut when fresh and dried for Halloween or Thanksgiving arrangements. If the seed heads are left on, they are an excellent source of food for wild birds.

Chinese Feather Reed Grass

The striped Chinese feather reed grass ‘Gold Bar’ is a real stand out all season long.

If I had a favorite Chinese feather reed grass, Miscanthus sinensis ‘Gold Bar’ would be top on my list. It is an introduction by Joy Creek Nursery in Scappoose, Oregon as well as a Great Plant Picks selection. As the name indicates, ‘Gold Bar’ has golden, zebra-stripe bars that begin at the base of the green blades and continue to the tips. It is ideal for large containers or planted in a garden in need of striking foliage throughout the season. ‘Gold Bar’ is more compact and upright for feather reed grass, with a maximum height of 4-5 feet. It is also hardy, surviving in USDA Hardiness Zones 5-8. The foliage turns tawny brown in winter and has nice structure, so wait to cut it back to the ground in late winter.

Purple Moor Grass

Variegated purple moor grass has attractive variegated foliage. (Image by Daderot)

For an easy-to-grow, small, clumping grass, variegated purple moor grass (Molinia caerulea subsp. caerulea ‘Variegata’, Zones 4-9) is an outstanding choice. The yellow and green variegated foliage grows 1-2 feet tall and works well as a border plant along a flower bed. In late summer and early fall, clusters of airy yellow to purple flower spikes appear about 2-3 feet above the clump.  The purple flower spikes contrast well with the variegated foliage, and as they age, they turn yellow and look quite attractive into the autumn season.  Cut the plant to the ground once the flower stems have faded. During the growing months, moor grass needs additional water when it is dry.

Tall Moor Grass

Another worthy garden grass of the same species is tall moor grass (Molinia caerulea subsp. arundinacea).  This one has broader gray-green leaves that can form a clump about 3 feet tall with blooming stems up to 8 feet.  One of its most popular, best forms is ‘Karl Foerster’ (to be distinguished from the more common feather reed-grass, ‘Karl Foerster (Calamagrostis × acutiflora ‘Karl Foerster’), which has 2-3 foot leaves and feathery stems that can reach up to 7 feet.  The form ‘Skyracer’ has plum-colored plumes that reach straight into the air. Tall moor grass survives in Zones 5-8.

Giant Feather Grass

Giant feather grass looks like a glistening cloud when in full bloom.

Native to Spain and Portugal, the tall flower spikes of giant feather grass (Stipa gigantea) rise high above the foliage and can reach up to 6 feet in height from clumps that are 2-3 feet high. It is drought-resistant and hardy in Zones 6-10. Be sure to plant it where it can be appreciated as a specimen plant.  It makes a very bold statement in a gravel garden.  Airy stems of yellow flowers appear in summer, and a large plant in full bloom almost looks like a glistening cloud.  It is a real attention-getter when in full bloom. Cut it to the ground in late fall or when the leaves begin to fade.

This listing presents a small sampling of some of the ornamental grasses that are available at local garden centers.  If there is a particular public garden in your area that features perennial grasses, fall is an ideal time to visit to get an idea of what they look like at the end of summer in your area.  Fall is also a good planting time.

Autumn Sage for All Seasons

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Autumn sage matures into a large plant that reaches three feet in height and width.

 

When nature gives you lemons, it’s time to make lemonade.  There’s nothing more powerful than drought to bring some really great plants front and center.  In lieu of thirsty annuals this year, plant water-conserving perennials that live long and bloom even longer.  There is no better choice than a rugged Texas native called Autumn sage (Salvia greggii), which has become the backbone of California arid flower gardening.  It thrives just as well on the cool coast as it does the blistering low desert, proving this plant is among the most adaptable to less-than-ideal conditions throughout the southwestern states.

In the desert, Autumn sage is one of the few plants that continue blooming when temperatures approach 120° F. It is grown as a garden perennial but is technically a subshrub due to its semi-woody branches, which are key to its drought resistance.  From its twiggy framework rises fast-growing stems with small leaves that end in carefree spires of vivid blooms.

The colorful flowers of Autumn sage look pretty even in the harshest weather.
The colorful flowers of Autumn sage look pretty even in the harshest weather.

The wild species produces firecracker-red flowers that hummingbirds find irresistible.  Wild forms may be the most heat and drought tolerant because some cultivated varieties seem to be less tolerant of harsh growing conditions.  Still, quite a few cultivars have proven their worth in arid gardens, allowing gardeners to fill their beds with multicolored Autumn sages that bring vibrant movement to the yard, no matter how hot the summer.

When choosing a spot for your sage, consider its natural habitat. In the wild, autumn sage grows in open sandy or gravelly ground or on rocky cliffs and slopes, so planting areas should have full sun and soil with rapid drainage. This makes sage an ideal problem solver for hot spots and erosive ground where fertility is too low for many other species.  For best results in clay soils, amend beds with organic matter and raise the root crown a bit with rocks and potting soil to keep it above saturated ground.

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Autumn sage grows well in well-drained potting mix, such as Black Gold Cactus Potting Mix.

Autumn sage is also suited to culture in pots for porch or patio. Container specimens do best when planted as mature, one-gallon-sized plants, though quart-sized specimens are fine for smaller pots. Grow autumn sage in spacious, well-drained containers that allow plenty of air and moisture movement.  This reduces potential problems with root rot from wet soil.  The ideal potting soil for this sage blends equal parts of Black Gold Cactus and Succulent Mix with Black Gold Natural and Organic Potting Soil with Resilience.  This combination allows superb drainage during the cooler wetter parts of the year, while retaining enough moisture in hot, dry months to ensure rapid growth and continuous bloom.

Autumn sage is ideal for bringing hummers in close without the hassle of feeders.  Stud your deck with different colored varieties. Consider more unique selections, such as ‘Hot Lips’ with its bicolored blooms of hot pink and white.  Other forms come in colors such as snow white, purple and various shades of red, pink, magenta and coral.  There’s no need to know the varietal names because these plants start blooming so young you can select them by flower color.

Two things keep Autumn sage blooming its heart out for months on end.  First feed with a fertilizer formulated for garden flowers.  Second, nip off any flower spikes that are through producing buds.  This prevents seed development, which can slow new bud formation.

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Hummingbirds can’t resist this plant and they will often nest close by.

Drought can be a challenge to traditional gardens and plants, but it’s a great opportunity to become familiar with new species for your landscape.  As the lack of rain demands wild plants in the West to change their habits, we must change ours too, and by planting smart we’ll turn sour garden lemons into the sweetest most colorful lemonade.