Hi Miraje, Here in Oklahoma the Panicum usually prefers lowland where water collects occasionally. The local Home Depot and Lowes stores are now carrying Muhlenbergia Lindheimerii which is a very attractive blue/grey, tall, vertically growing, drought hardy Texas native grass that would do better in your situation because it will thrive better on the sandy slope in a dry situation. Deergrass Muhly also thrives on drought and heat and would love the spot but you would have to find it online as its not sold locally to my knowledge. I started mine from seed last fall and they are now blooming. If you are open to shopping online, High Country Gardens has some great choices that are very drought hardy and would love the site you are describing. These would be either of the Muhly grasses (Pink Flamingo Muhly Grass, Regal Gulf Coast Muhly grass), Indian Ricegrass (Oryzopsis hymenoides) Sporobolus (Prairie Dropseed, Sacaton alkali, Sacaton wrightii) Santa Rosa Gardens is selling the Prairie Dropseed, and other grasses currently at half off of half price, less than $2.00/plant with a 25 order minimum. This is a beautiful grass. Along with the Little Bluestem you might have Blue Grama and Sideoats Grama growing around there in your prairie and these would work very well too and look good without being invasive. The Indian Grass prefers a more moist soil but it would grow, only shorter than is typical. A grass that is a sandy soil stabilizer is Sand Dropseed (Sporoblus cryptandrus) which will quickly colonize vacant land and is used in erosion control (but use some caution, it is sometimes considered invasive due to the speed at which it colonizes). Seed is available through Plants of the Southwest. Its not really an ornamental but planted in a large stand it would be attractive. This company is out of New Mexico and has other drought loving grass seed available.

OKGirl, You have to keep watering in mind on this garden. I would not recommend the Miscanthus or the P 'Karley Rose'. They will do well in a regularly irrigated situation but this doesn't look like such a spot. As you drive around, you will notice that the Miscanthus that look lush and green are in areas with sprinkler systems for the most part or in well tended beds in private residences. The ones in unwatered situations (Pennisetum and Miscanthus) I see around here are stunted with curly tips and look like c--p. The Ravenne Grass is being used in Highway Plantings and other very dry situations and it looks great in isolated plantings too. Also the Chaste Trees are being used in the same way and they are very lush and have soft colors with continuous bloom making them a great grass companion. Another grass needing regular watering in my own yard is the Korean Feather Grass and the 'Karl Forrester'. The blue Fescue's don't do well here. The humidity gets them and you will probably loose them after a season or two. A better choice is Helictochon (Blue Avena Grass) for a low blue grass. Its more dramatic as well. I am considering getting rid of the rest of my 'Karly Rose'. It leans from the shade coming on late afternoon even though it gets a full amount of sun and worse, it seems to need a lot of water to keep it from looking dry. I decided I don't much like it because it looks too prissy. I think the Pink Gulf Muhly is a good choice but it only looks good planted in masses in my opinion and doesn't mix well with 'Karl Forester' or Pennisetum plus they have differing water demands. I would definitely recommend the Muhlenbergia Lindheimeri from SRG to go with it and the Little Bluestem (any flavor) and the Mexican Feather Grass. I would also consider that cultivar of Indian Grass (very blue) from SRG. You can then easily increase your planting area as time goes by with seeds as well from each of these.

Good luck. I divided some Muhlenbergia riverchonnii last spring and only now are they looking half way decent and putting out good root growth, seems the roots take their time reestablishing unlike some other grasses I grow. The clumps just sat there mostly brown all last summer. M. lindheimeirii and deergrass muhly are the same way. Small young plants will out grow and end up being way ahead of the divisions in my experience. I purchased a gallon size, and as it turned out, pot bound Gulf Muhly last spring on super sale and its taking forever to come around. It still looks insignificant and ratty with very little green after more than a year. I do better buying 4" potted plants than divisions but they do finally start back up. I'm getting psyched up to dig out a large M. 'flamingo' coming up in late winter because its blocking the view of the water meter down by the curb. I'm really looking forward to it........

I have 2 that came up volunteer that are about the size yours are this year and have that same upright appearance (upright now anyway). I'd mistaken the identity thinking they were Indian Rice Grass where I'd sown seeds. I'd leave them where they are because they have nice late afternoon sun nicely showing off the pink but....they get so large they will be too big for the spots so I am moving them next spring while they are still a moveable size (gallon sized). Too bad because currently they look great and I wish they'd stay that size. A mature plant gets 3 feet, forming a very thick, dense tussock that forms a perfect half circle shape (no longer the upright look) that is just as tall & really takes up a big space, its more like a specimen grass which I hadn't expected. They are a bear to trim down in spring. I took one out this spring to open up some space and in its spot there are now 6 bluestem plants with room to spare. I had no idea they got that big. Peren.all, you would probably be able to grow Muhlenbergia riverchonii, its often sold under the name 'Undaunted'. Its a lot more cold hardy and personally I like it better. Even if you could grow the Gulf Muhly you might never get the blooms because the Gulf M. blooms so late in the season, my big guy is just now starting to put up a only few blooms even though the two volunteers bloomed earlier and are in full bloom. The M. riverchonni starts to open in July and is in full glory by mid August, then it looses the color but stays nice and hazy looking until its cut back in late winter. It is more subtle in color---kind of a dusky pinkish purple color + its a smaller, lower growing grass with leaves that are just as fine but more grayish green. I think the Gulf M. looks more 'tropical' because its so garishly pink with brighter green leaves.