7 Native Grasses To Plant in Your Yard
Updated: Apr. 24, 2024
Native grasses are easy to maintain and wildlife friendly. Here are some that will add lively accents to your yard, or even replace your turfgrass.
What Are Native Grasses?
Native grasses are species that evolved to grow naturally in a specific region. They’re helpful in our yards because they are likely to thrive without much, if any, supplemental water or fertilizer. They also play vital ecological roles and pair well with wildflowers and other landscaping features.
“Native grasses are such an important and valuable addition to our gardens,” says Lauren Carvahlo, a horticulturist at High Country Gardens. “They provide essential food resources and habitat for insects and birds. They are generally easy to care for, low maintenance and long-lived.”
What does “native grass” mean?
It refers to grasses indigenous to an area, as specific as a microclimate or as broad as an entire continent. They’ve evolved and adapted over thousands of years to survive specific soil, water and other environmental conditions.
They also play vital roles in keeping ecosystems healthy by providing food, shelter and nesting sites for birds, butterflies and other beneficial insects and animals.
“With their multitude of benefits and variety of textures and colors, native grasses are terrific options to reduce turf lawn space,” says Mary Phillips, head of Garden for Wildlife.
Other native grass benefits include:
- Little to no need for fertilizers and pesticides;
- Water conservation and sustainability;
- Deep root systems, which prevent erosion, improve soil drainage and aeration and promote beneficial microorganisms.
What’s the difference between native grass and invasive grass?
Unlike native grasses, which broadly support wildlife, invasive species often spread rapidly and aggressively, harming biodiversity.
Some lawn turfgrasses are classified as invasive, and most are non-native. Either way, most common turfgrasses need more water and chemicals to maintain. They have shallow root systems and are generally not helpful ecologically, because the monoculture environment they create doesn’t provide much food or shelter for wildlife.
Should you mow native grasses?
It depends on the species. “Some native lawn grasses can use occasional mowing to keep them looking tidy, but they require far less frequent mowing than non-natives,” says Carvahlo.
Ornamental native grasses should not be mowed. Also, don’t cut them back for the winter so they can continue offering food and habitat to wildlife.
“They also add texture, height and movement that accentuate a dormant garden,” says Carvahlo. “Then in early spring, cut them back to three or four inches as new growth begins to appear.”
How do I find native grass seed?
Local nurseries, especially those that sell native plants, often sell native grass seed. You can also search by zip code for seeds, blends and live plants at online outlets like High Country Gardens and Garden for Wildlife.
How long does native grass take to grow?
It depends on your climate, species and soil conditions. But in general, native grasses germinate in a few weeks and take one to three seasons to become fully established.
“During the first year, they may appear to be growing slowly as they develop strong root systems,” says Phillips. “Above-ground growth is typically more noticeable in the second and third years. By Year Four, most will have developed robust root systems and thrive with little care.”
How do you start native grass?
With seeds or plugs. Many retailers who sell seed offer tutorials and tips.
How long is native grass seed viable?
If you keep seeds cool inside an airtight, rodent-proof container, they can last several years.
“Generally, a spot in the refrigerator, free from excess moisture and light will work just fine,” says Carvahlo. “Personally, I have had success growing some very old seed. I never throw away suspect seed. Even if it doesn’t germinate, the organic matter is better off in the ground than in a trash bag.”
About the Experts
Mary Phillips, Head of Native Plant Habitat Strategy/Certifications at the National Wildlife Federation. She keeps habitat gardening programs flourishing with sustainable practices and ever-evolving scientific knowledge.
Lauren Carvahlo, the foremost horticulturist at High Country Gardens, propagates native and pollinator-friendly plants and develops ecological programs with other leaders in western horticulture.
Side Oats Grama (Bouteloua curtipendula)
A resilient warm-season perennial, side oats grama is good for lawns and large spaces. It mixes well with flowering perennials and gets its name from its flowering spikelets and seed heads, which resemble oats.
Its benefits and specs include:
- Good replacement for turfgrass, and for erosion control;
- One of the most important range grasses, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA);
- Provides seeds for birds, larval host for skipper butterflies;
- Attracts caterpillars, birds and fireflies;
- Moisture needs: Medium to dry/drought tolerant;
- Size: 1-1/2- to 3-ft. high, with a 1-1/2- to 2-ft. spread;
- Blooms July through August;
- Grow in full sun to part shade, in clay, sand or rocky soil;
- Native to much of North America;
- Hardy in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 3 to 9.
Purple Lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis)
This low-growing warm-season bunchgrass is great for a natural meadow-like setting, or in groupings to form a border. It adds comforting hues of reddish-purple inflorescence (aka flower heads) in the late summer and early fall.
- Good for ornamental borders and meadows;
- Dense root system good for erosion control;
- Attracts caterpillars, native bees and birds;
- Larval host for skipper butterflies;
- Requires medium to dry moisture;
- One to two feet high with a one to two-foot spread;
- Blooms July to October;
- Grows in full sun and dry, sandy or gravelly soil (tolerant of poor soils);
- Native to much of North America;
- USDA Zones 5 to 9.
Path Rush (Juncus tenuis)
This clump-forming perennial is hearty enough to tolerate moderate foot traffic, making it a versatile addition to landscaping. It also forms small greenish and brownish flowers in spikes or heads, which attract birds.
- Good for a lawn alternative, or in pathways and rain gardens;
- Provides ample food and shelter for wildlife;
- Attracts birds;
- Requires at least medium moisture;
- One to two feet high with a 1- to 1-1/2-ft. spread;
- Blooms March to June;
- Grows full sun or part shade in clay, loam, sand and well-drained soil;
- Native to much of North America;
- Zones 3 to 9.
Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
Flowing and wispy, little bluestem forms dense mounds. It’s blue-green color and fine texture makes it an ideal ornamental grass, with aesthetics enhanced in the fall as foliage turns a deep reddish brown.
Small birds particularly benefit through the winter from its white, reflective seed tufts.
- Good for borders and rain gardens, or in a prairie-like setting;
- Tolerates high heat and humidity;
- Provides great shelter for birds and other wildlife;
- Attracts caterpillars, native bees, birds and fireflies;
- Larval host for skipper butterflies;
- Requires medium to dry moisture;
- One-and-one-half to four feet high, with a 1-1/2- to 2-ft. spread;
- Blooms June to December;
- Grows in full sun and loam, clay, sand or limestone soil;
- Native to much of North America;
- Zones 3 to 9.
Muhly (Muhlenbergia reverchonii)
Poofy with reddish-pink inflorescences (flower heads), muhly (aka undaunted ruby muhly) is often described as ethereal, thanks to the way its see-through spikes float gracefully above its green foliage clumps.
“This grass may look delicate, but once established it can survive our often cold and harsh conditions of the Intermountain West,” says Carvahlo.
- Good for ornamental displays, accents and texture, especially when planted en masse;
- Attracts songbirds, turkeys, small animals and pollinator insects;
- Grows in dry or moist conditions;
- Two- to two-and-a-half feet high with a 1-1/2-to 2-ft. spread;
- Blooms September to October;
- Grows in full sun and rocky, gravelly, loamy, clay or limestone soil;
- Native to Texas and Oklahoma;
- Zones 5 to 10.
Idaho Fescue (Festuca idahoensis)
Idaho fescue, aka siskiyou blue, is a perky, compact clump grass with a soft, graceful look. Its tan flower spikes shoot up in the spring.
“I love using this grass in large containers mixed with gauras, salvias and cascading delospermas,” says Carvahlo. “It also maintains its tidy shape and color throughout every season.”
- Good for bordering paths and walkways;
- Attracts butterflies;
- Important food source for elk and pronghorn in wild areas;
- Drought tolerant;
- One to two feet tall with a one-foot spread;
- Blooms April to June;
- Grows in full sun (benefits from light afternoon shade) and well-drained soil;
- Native to Western U.S. and grows well in Southwest heat;
- Zones 4 to 8.
Note: As a cool-season grass, it actively grows in the spring and fall. It still needs water in the summer, but no fertilizer.
Giant Sacaton (Sporobolus wrightii)
Few grasses make a grand impression better than giant sacaton, aka windbreaker. With flowers growing up to 10 feet tall in the summer, farmers sometimes use it as a natural windbreak.
“It can also create privacy or make a striking statement when planted alone,” says Carvahlo.
- Good for large borders and property boundaries, aesthetic appeal;
- Attracts birds;
- Heat tolerant;
- Grows 10 feet tall (in bloom) with a six-foot spread;
- Blooms September to October;
- Needs full sun and clay, loam or sandy soil;
- Native to Southwestern U.S.;
- Zones 5 to 8.
Originally Published: March 11, 2024
