8 Easy-to-Grow Ornamental Grasses for Shade to Add to Your Yard
Most ornamental grasses grow best in full sun (at least 8 hours of bright sunlight daily), but few thrive in low-light spots. The following eight easy-to-grow ornamental grasses for shade can be planted on the north side of your home, under the canopy of a large tree, and anywhere in shadow most of the day. These grasses almost effortlessly brighten up shaded areas of your landscape, adding instant texture and movement year-round.
1. Northern Sea Oats
Prized for its shimmery oat-like seed heads, northern sea oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) are at their prime in fall. The wide, slightly weeping leaf blades turn bronze with the first frost, and the seed heads take on a copper-tinged maroon hue. The dry seed heads add natural music to the garden when the wind moves through them. After this ornamental grass for shade is established, it tolerates both drought and wet conditions. It will self-seed freely; remove the seed heads in late fall if you don’t want it to seed into other areas of the landscape. It has good deer resistance.
Size: 36 inches tall by 18 inches wide
Hardiness Zones: 3–8
2. Japanese Forest Grass
Arching stems and foliage give Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra) the appearance of a flowing stream. Group 5 to 7 plants together to create cascading texture through a planting bed. Japanese forest grass grows in a lush, many layered clump and spreads slowly. Its medium green leaves turn vivid orange in autumn. The cultivar ‘Aureola’ has eye-catching chartreuse foliage in spring and summer.
Size: 18 inches tall by 18 inches wide
Hardiness Zones: 5–9
3. Feather Reed Grass
Neither boggy soil nor shade deters feather reed grass (Calamagrostis arundinacea). It has a vase-like shape and airy pinkish flower plumes in late summer and early fall. This clump-forming ornamental grass for shade will spread slowly in average soils and more quickly in wet sites. Watch it closely to ensure it doesn’t spread too aggressively. Feather reed grass has a strong upright growth habit that makes it a good choice for creating a living screen for privacy.
Size: 3–4 feet tall by 2–3 feet wide
Hardiness Zones: 5–9
4. Golden Wood Millet
A beacon of light in the shade garden, golden wood millet (Milium effusum ‘Aureum’) has vibrant chartreuse foliage. Its ribbon-like leaves give the clump-forming plant a casual appearance. Expect it to spread slowly over time when growing in rich, well-drained soil. This ornamental grass for shade has foliage that will wither and turn brown in the harsh afternoon sunlight.
Size: 2 feet tall and wide
Hardiness Zones: 5–9
5. Tufted Hairgrass
Tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa) is aptly named. Its thin leaf blades grow in loose tufts. Clumps of blades bend every way to give the plant a whimsical, casual appearance. Silky flower spikes rise like a soft cloud over the plant in summer and last through fall when the flower spikes shift from light green to light yellow. Tufted hairgrass grows best in humus-rich, moist-to-soggy soil.
Size: 2–3 feet tall and wide
Hardiness Zones: 4–9
6. Bottlebrush Grass
Bottlebrush grass (Elymus hystrix) is one of a few native grasses that is at home in a woodland setting. Bottlebrush grass is named for its tiny green flowers, which emerge in summer and look like tiny bottle brushes. The flower spikes rise above the foliage and stand through midfall. This ornamental grass for shade grows best in nutrient-rich, moist soil. It will self-seed but seldom becomes weedy.
Size: 2 to 3 feet tall and wide
Hardiness Zones: 4–9
7. Blue Fescue
This short, mounded grass makes a tough edging plant, or plant a group of them in geometric shapes for a striking display. Blue fescue (Festuca glauca) has a porcupine-like appearance with upright leaves forming a tight clump. This ornamental grass takes on a blue-green color in part shade; plants growing in full sun have a more pronounced blue hue. Blue fescue does best in well-drained to dry soil; it languishes in moist soil. Considered a short-lived perennial, it usually lives 2 to 3 years.
Size: 1 to 2 feet tall and wide
Hardiness Zones: 4–8
8. Blue Oat Grass
Blue oat grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens) resembles blue fescue but is significantly larger. Its spiky, mounded shape is a striking presence in the garden. Use blue oat grass as a focal point or plant several together to visually divide a space. More green than blue when planted in shade, this ornamental grass maintains its foliage until late fall in most areas. Blue oat grass grows best in well-drained or dry soils; it doesn’t grow well in wet planting sites.
Size: 2–3 feet tall and wide
Hardiness Zones: 4–8