Drought-tolerant ornamental grasses are a boon to our landscapes. They save time and money on watering as well as reduce the demand on our water resources – and they look good doing it!
Ornamental grasses add movement, color and structure to a landscape. Many of these provide four seasons of interest and also provide nesting areas and food for wildlife. These grasses survive periods without rain because of their deep root network that seeks water far below. Their deep roots also serve as erosion control.
If you haven’t added any low maintenance ornamental grasses in your yard yet, I’ve rounded up the best ones to try that are drought tolerant and perfect for almost any landscape. Add them to a rock garden, a privacy screen, mass planting or simply as a focal point. These tough but beautiful ornamental grasses add an extra punch to the landscape.
1. Little Bluestem
(Image credit: Alamy)
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Botanical name |
Schizachyrium scoparium |
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Resistance |
Zones 3 to 9 |
Small bluestem it is a valuable landscape grass not only for its drought tolerance, but also for its beauty in the landscape. An Oriental North American ornamental grassits erect, bluish stems turn a warm, bronze color in fall, complemented by purple-bronze seed heads.
At 2 to 4 feet (0.6-1.2 m) tall, the short grass tolerates high heat and humidity in addition to its excellent drought tolerance. It provides seeds and cover for wildlife and is a host plant for many butterflies and moths. Hardy in USDA zones 3 through 9, plant some blue stem in average, well-drained soil in full sun.
Get small grass for your garden from Fast Growing Trees online.
2. Blue Gram
(Image credit: Krystof Sasek/Getty Images)
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Botanical name |
Bouteloua gracilia |
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Resistance |
Zones 3 to 10 |
Blue grass grows in clump form to about 12 to 15 inches (30-38 cm). By mid-summer, its flowering stems reach up to 2.5 feet (0.8 m) in height. The distinctive seed heads hang down one side of the stems like flags, giving them a whimsical appearance.
Foliage turns golden brown in autumn, sometimes tinged with orange and red. The blond, dried seed heads persist through the winter. Hardy in USDA zones 3 through 10, plant blue grama in sandy to rocky soil in full sun.
Get ‘Blonde Ambition’ blue grass online from Nature Hills Nursery.
3. Ruby Muhly Grass
(Image credit: inho Lee/Getty Images)
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Botanical name |
Muhlenbergia reverchonii ‘Undaunted’ |
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Resistance |
Zones 5 to 9 |
Growing about 2 feet (0.6 m) tall, muhly grass blooms late summer to fall with a striking pink cloud hovering over the grass. Next are the seed heads which turn tawny, along with the foliage, in winter.
Hardy in USDA zones 5 through 9, this Oklahoma and Native to Texas thrives in rocky, shallow, but well-drained soil in full sun to light shade. Tolerates heat, humidity and drought.
Buy pink muhly grass in bulk from Home Depot to quickly fill your landscape.
4. Purple Love Grass
(Image credit: Monika/Getty Images)
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Botanical name |
The Builder is spectacular |
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Resistance |
Zones 3 to 9 |
This warm season grass it grows throughout the summer and then produces bouquets that bloom above its green foliage, creating a dramatic reddish-pink mist. Purple grass of love performs best in dry, poor soils in sunny locations, about 2 feet (0.6 m) tall.
In addition to being drought tolerant, it tolerates salt on winter roads and even tolerates black walnut jungle. This North American native is hardy in USDA zones 3 through 9.
Buy purple love grass plants that are ready to transplant from Garden Goods Direct.
5. Indian grass
(Image credit: Graced By The Light / Getty Images)
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Botanical name |
Sorghum beckons |
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Resistance |
Zones 3 to 9 |
A hot season perennial, Indian grass it does most of its growth during the summer, reaching 5 to 7 feet (1.5 to 2 meters) tall. Its blue-green leaves retain their color until first frost date. Yellow inflorescences bloom in late summer to autumn, swaying above the foliage. Autumn brings yellow-orange colors.
Native to the southeastern US, it provides cover for wildlife and seeds for songbirds of the yard. Hardy in USDA zones 3 through 9, Indian grass grows in dry, poor soil in full sun.
Start Indian grass from seed with these seeds from Walmart.
6. Blue oat grass
(Image credit: Getty Images)
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Botanical name |
Helictotrichon sempervirens |
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Resistance |
Zones 4 to 8 |
This native of the western Mediterranean brings steel blue, arching leaves to a medium-sized cool-season ornamental grass. Similar to blue fescue, blue oat grass it’s bigger and sturdier. In addition to being drought tolerant, it also resists deer, salt and rabbits.
Hardy in USDA zones 4 through 8, it prefers sun to shade and dry, well-drained soil. Blue oatgrass remains showy in all four seasons where winters are mild.
You can get ready-to-plant blue oat grass online from Amazon.
