Cool season grass will start to grow early in the spring and may even remain semi-evergreen over the winter. Cool season grasses also seem to do better and have better foliage quality when temperatures are cool or if they are given sufficient water during drought periods.

If they are not watered during drought, they tend to go dormant, resulting in brown foliage. Ornamental grasses that are popular cool season grasses include, Fescues, Blue Oat Grass (Helictotrichon), Tufted Hair Grass (Deschampsia), and Autumn Moor Grass (Sesleria).

Information about ornamental grasses is needed for correct placement. A person needs to know what will do better during warmer times of the year and remain good looking even when temperatures are high. Warm season grasses do not begin to show growth until the weather becomes stable and the soils warm. The previous season’s growth usually browns out in the fall, requiring the cutting back of plants to about 4-6 inches in the spring.

Some warm season grasses include Northern Sea Oats (Chasmanthium), Japanese Silver Grass (Miscanthus sp.), Hardy Pampas Grass (Erianthus), Perennial Fountain Grass (Pennisetum), Switch Grass (Panicum) and Prairie Cord Grass (Spartina).