Fountain Grass (Pennisetum)(back) Fountain grasses are generally clump forming, with gracefully arching stems bearing fat, furry plumes at the ends. They are among the most graceful of ornamental grasses. Use them in containers, in perennial or shrub borders, as bank cover.
'Dwarf' (pennisetum alopecuroides). Zones 3- 24. The 3-4 ft. clumps of bright green foliage are topped by pinkish flower cluster. Leaves turn yellow in fall, brown in winter.'Hameln' is smaller (2-3 ft.) and has white plumes. 'Moudry', to 3 ft., has black plumes. all thrive in sun or light shade and need some summer water in dry climates. Sun/ Fall color/ Good in dried floral arrangements/Does not reseed / Cut back to ground in spring/ Drought tolerant.
Purple' (pennisetum setaceum). Perennial in Zones 8-24; annual elsewhere. Dense, rounded clump to 4 ft. In summer 3-4 ft. stems are topped by fuzzy coppery pink or purplish flower spikes. Use in dry location, as in gravel beds, or as focal point in low ground covers. Any soil, full sun. Needs no irrigation and is dormant in winter. Seeds itself freely and threatens to crowd out native vegetation when planted near open country. To prevent seeding about in the garden, cut plumes before seeds mature. 'Rubrum', also known as 'cupreum', has reddish brown leaves and dark plumes. it does not set seed. Sun/ Drought tolerant/ Not winter hardy/ Cut back to ground in spring.Germander (Teucrium chamaedrya) (back)
Tough, plants, enduring poor, rocky soils. They can't stand wet or poorly drained soils but will take ordinary watering where drainage is good.
T. Chamaedcrys. All zones. Low growing (1 ft. tall), spreading to 2 ft., with many upright, woody-based stems densely set with toothed, dark green, 3/4-in. long leaves. In summer, red-purple or white, 3/4 in. flowers form in loose spikes (white-flowered form is looser). Attractive to bees. Use as edging, foreground, low clipped hedge, or small-scale ground cover. To keep neat, shear back once or twice a year to force side branching. As ground cover, set plants 2 ft. apart.
T.C. Prostratum. Leaves and flowers are similar to those of T. Chamaedrys, but growth habit is very prostrate (4-6 in. high and spreading to 3 ft. or more). Sun-Partial/ Evergreen / Toothed dark green leaves / Rapid spreader/ Fragrant groundcover/ Trim back in spring for fuller growth.
Giant Reed (Arundo donax) (back)
One of largest grasses, planted for bold effects in garden fringe areas or by watersides. Also planted in hot-summer climates as quick wind break or for erosion control. Often called a bamboo. Strong, somewhat woody stems, 6-20 ft. high. Leaves to 2 ft. long, flat, 3 in. wide. Flowers in rather narrow, erect clusters to 2 ft. high. A.d. 'Versicolor' has leaves with white or yellowish stripes. Needs rich, moist soil. Protect roots with mulch in cold-winter areas. Cut out dead stems and thin occasionally to get look-through quality. Extremely invasive; plant only where you can control it. can become a pest in irrigation ditches. Stems have some utility as plant stakes or, if woven together with wire, as fencing or shade canopy. Sun/ Spreads by runners/ Invasive / Feathery, narrow, erect 2' flower plumes in fall / Good used in dried floral arrangemnts/ Tolerates moist areas.
Gulf Muhly(Muhlenbergia capillaris) (back)
2' / Sun-Partial/ Well-drained soil / Dormant in winter/ clumping/ Reseeds / Feathery pink flower plumes/ Spectacular when backlit by sun/ Mow in Feb. to renew growth.
Horsetail Reed (Equisetum hyemale) (back)
Rushlike survivor of Carboniferous age. Slender, hollow, 4-ft. stems are bright green with black-and-ash-colored ring at each joint. Spores borne in conelike spikes at end of stem. Several species, but E. hyemale most common. Called horsetail because many of the species have bushy look from many whorls of sender, jointed green stems that radiate out from joints of main stem.
Although horsetail is effective in some garden situations, especially near water, use it with caution: it is extremely invasive and difficult to get rid of. Best confined to containers. In open ground, root-prune unwanted shoots rigorously and constantly. Sun-Partial/ Evergreen/ Thrives in marshy, moist areas/ Good as a container plant in pond.
Their real glory is in their leaves— typically heart shaped, shiny, distinctly veined. Flowers come as a dividend: thin spikes topped by several trumpet-shaped flowers grow up from foliage mounds in summer, last for several weeks. Feeding once a year will bring on extra leafy splendor. Blanket of peat moss around plants will prevent mud from splattering leaves. Slugs and snails love hostas; bait 3-4 times a year. All forms go dormant (collapse almost to nothing) in winter; fresh new leaves grow from roots in early spring. Good in containers. in ground, plants last for years; clumps expand in size and shade out weed growth. Few plants have undergone so many name changes; to be quite sure you are getting the one you want, buy it in full leaf. 18"/Shade / Hyacinth like flower spikes / Many named varieties/ Many shades of green-Some variegated/ Subject to snails and slugs/ Groundcover.
Most widely planted ground cover in California; also often climbs on walls, fences, trellises. Sometimes planting does— wall ivy spreads to become surrounding ground cover or vice versa. Ivy is dependable, uniform, neat. Holds soil, discouraging soil erosion and slippage on slopes. Roots grow deep and fill soil densely. Branches root as they grow, further knitting soil. Shade / Evergreen/ Use for erosion control/ Needs heavy watering in hot climate/ Trim edges once a year to control/Can become invasive and smother companion plantings/ Many varieties available/ Woody vine that makes an excellent groundcover/ Two varieties especially make good groundcover: 'English' and 'Algerian'
Japanese Blood Grass (Imperata cylindrica)(back)
Clumping grass with erect stems 1-2 ft. tall, the tip half rich blood red. Striking in borders, especially where sun can shine through blades. Completely dormant in winter. Spreads by underground runners. 2'/ Sun-Partial/ Deciduous/ Effective in groups / Fall color.
