I have Saccharum ravennae Hardy Pampas Grass. PM me if you're interested.

I can't think of any ornamental grass which meets your requirements and can be reliably grown from seed. Tall variegated grass cultivars don't come true from seed, and if they grow at all, usually revert to the species and are plain green. Almost by definition, any grass which can be grown from seed, will flower. Equally given is the fact that seedgrown grasses can and will reseed themselves, adding to maintenance concerns. Another consideration with grasses is the amount of screening they provide. Most of the tall grasses are deciduous, and require cutting down to a few inches of height this time every year (no small chore). They then require several months to regain their height, and provide no screening during that regrowth.

Seebachers: Don't know if you're still looking for ornamental grasses for your garden, but if you are here's my small contribution. Sue and I live in Manistee, MI and since the town lies on Lake Michigan our climate is often moderated by the lake. Consequently, depending upon the severity of our winters, we may lie in zone 6 or zone 5. For that reason, I usually either purchase locally at the few better gardening areas or search for plants that are winter hardy to zone 5 or cooler. One of my favorite sources of information is the superb "PlantFinder" search/informational tool, which is part of the Kemper Center for Home Gardening at the wonderful Missouri Botanical Garden. This link will take you directly to their "seach" section. If you will scroll down a bit, you find a section called "Taxonomy" click on "Plant type" and select "ornamental grasses". Just below you'll see a section called "Plant requirements" go to the "zone" section and select "5". The scroll down to the bottom of the page and submit your search. You'll then be taken to an extensive listing of plants by their botanical names, their common name(s); their approximate height, and then their appropriate zone range. Each of the botanical listing will provide you with a link to more detailed information and, in most cases, a photograph or two. Here's a link to one of the grasses that I've added to our garden this fall. The plant is "Chasmanthium latifolium" also known - at this site - as "Inland Sea Oats" and by "Northern Sea Oats" on this forum. http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=A240 Another ornamental grass which I have planted in our garden is Miscanthus 'Purpurascens', which goes by several common names, such as "Flame grass". In their "noteworthy features" sections, I noted the following statement: "Flame grass, as the common name suggests, is noted for its superior orange-red fall color. It is a compact, upright, warm season, clump-forming ornamental grass which typically grows to 3-4' (infrequently to 5') tall. Features medium green blades (1/2" wide) with a reddish tinge which gradually develop further reddish hues as summer progresses, eventually turning a brilliant orange-red in fall." Fortunately, I was able to find a local source and added two of this grass to our garden. Here's the link: http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Plant.asp?code=E220 FYI - you also note that this site does provide both local sources for St. Louis area gardeners and online sources for the rest of us. Another one of the wonderful feature of the search/informational tool of the superb Missouri Botanical Gardens. It is a must visit- especially in the second and third week in June when nearly everything is in bloom. If you wish to take a "virtual tour" of some of this garden's delights here is the link for the tour. http://www.mobot.org/hort/gardens/overview.shtml If you scroll all the way down, there is a link to a more detailed/photographic tour of many sections of this outstanding garden. But here's a direct link for a more detailed look. http://www.mobot.org/hort/tours/tourintro.shtml Finally, if you wish to exlore the world of "Ornamental Grasses" further and also wish to have a handy reference guide available, you might consider the purchase of Rick Darke's "Timber Press Pocket Guide to Ornamental Grasses" or if you wish more extensive information you'll find it in his book "The Color Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses" Well, I suspect that you know have more information than you thought possible or possibly wanted. ;>) Best wishes in your gardening endeavors!! Bill http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Search.asp

I only found Silberfeder using their search engine. I searched for Purpurascens pics in Google and looks like this is one of the ornamental grass that I always see in our area and one of the ornamental grass I really want to have. It's very beautiful. While I was searching for it, I also saw the following. 1. Autumn Light Miscanthus - http://www.willowmist.com/autumn_light.html 2. Graziella - http://www.willowmist.com/graziella.html 3. Flame Grass(Purpurascens) - http://www.willowmist.com/png1_image006.html 4. Malepartus - http://www.willowmist.com/image009.html 5. Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster' - http://www.willowmist.com/png1_image020.html Is this hardy to zone 5a? 6.Fountain Grasses (Pennisetum alopecuroides) - http://www.willowmist.com/fountain.html What about this one, is this hardy to zone 5a? Thanks!