Ornamental Grass Collection

One of the largest in the United States, the Arboretum's Ornamental Grass Collection contains over 200 ornamental and native grass species and cultivars. First planted in 1987, the collection is enlarged each year, with new selections added and others removed. Maintained in ten large beds in full sun and two beds under a lath for shade, the collection is one of the oldest in USDA Hardiness Zone 4. Each cultivar or species included in the collection is ideally represented by four plants, with similar cultivars planted adjacent to each other for comparison. Mary Meyer, professor emerita in the Department of Horticultural Science at the University of Minnesota evaluates these plants for winter survival, flowering time, growth habit, self-seeding and winter interest. Also included in the collection are plants that can be grown as alternative low-maintenance turfgrasses including the native sedge, Carex pensylvanica.