Any Miscanthus sinensis cultivar will do great there. They do not seed in Minnesota, do not run, and you can get ones that grow 7ft down to ones that only grow 2-3ft.

Feather reed grass (Calamagrostis sp.) are great vertical accents. The most common cultivar is Karl Foster.

Your right that many grasses reseed well, especially our natives. But maybe someone can give a recommendation for prairle dropseed. I don't know how easily that one proliferates.

Crocosmia, The garden is beautiful, a combination I wouldn't mind trying myself.

leftwood, I didn't know what Miscanthus sinensis was and looked it up in my "Landscaping with Native Plants of Minnesota" by Lynn M. Steiner. She says it is a "bad guy, invasive and weedy". Landcape Alternatives sells FlameGrass 'purpurescens' (Miscanthus sinensis). Do you have any particular ones that you would recommend that aren't "bad guys"? I would like to stay under 4 feet.

Pauline

Pauline, don't want to sound like a doubting Thomas, but are you sure M. sinensis was described as a Minnesota native and invasive and weedy? Don't think it is a native grass in Minnesota. No evidence on a google search that it has done anything but stay put in a garden in the Midwest. A few states on the southern east coast have a problem with Miscanthus invading...
The only thing I could find was...
"Miscanthus sacchariflorus is growing on its own in several locations in Iowa and Minnesota, but the majority of these sites are plants that continue to live on old farmsteads or where they were originally planted. This is a case of persistence, but not necessarily invasion into new areas."

Interesting....I want to know more.

Jan

Jan,

I found that reference in the book "Landscaping with Native Plants of Minnesota", it is listed as invasive and as an introduced plant. It is listed as Miscanthus sinensis (maiden grass).

Help me here please. Lynn M Steiner lists the above common name (maiden grass) in the book I was referenceing. Landscape Altrnatives uses the common name of Flame Grass. Does that mean that various common names are used or that there are several grasses called mascanthus sinesis? I am just learning and struggling with this whole name business.

Back when I was innocently just plunking plants in the ground that I liked the look of I didn't think about names of course I couldn't ask questions about what I had very easily or read about them. In lots of ways plunking was easier.

Pauline

I just ran to Highland Nursery to check out their grasses -- I liked all those mentioned, but the one that really appealed to me was Panicum "Shenandoah." Does anyone know if that one will seed itself all over? The seeds are beautiful and PLENTIFUL. I Googled it and couldn't find an answer.

Pauline - don't worry about being confused about the common names for Miscanthus sinensis. Maiden Grass, Zebra Grass, Porcupine Grass, Eulalia, Silver Feather, Chinese Silver Grass, Eulalia Grass, Japanese Silver Grass...all are common names associated with Miscanthus. There are many cultivars and selections of Miscanthus, especially of M. sinensis and many of the cultivars have been given their own common name. Like M. 'Puepurascens' is called Flame Grass. Miscanthus sinensis "Zebrinus' is called Zebra Grass. I wholeheartedly agree.... all those common names are most confusing.

I just reread Rick's post and he implies cultivars of Miscanthus sinensis are not invasive in Minnesota. I am going to strongly second that. It is not that tough and hardy of a grass and many of the cultivars do not even reseed. Also, Miscanthus sinensis is not rhizomatous...stays in a nice clump.

Crocosmia - 'Shenandoah' is a selction of the native Switchgrass Panicum virgatum. The species is a sod former and does reseed. It was kinda mandated as the grass of choice to be planted on CRP lands. Odd choice...but who am I to say? But...we are talking about a selection of the species appropriate for use as an ornamental grass. If Rick doesn't know the answer....you might want to contact PDN (Plant Delights Nursery) via their website. They sell it and would certainly know if it was a reseeder. (They probably wouldn't sell it if it was?)

The link below is Florida based so ignore the part about M. sinensis and invasiveness. The rest of the info on the various cultivars is good.

Jan

Here is a link that might be useful: Miscanthus info

I bought my Panicum 'Shenandoah' at Ambergate in Chaska and not only did it not spread, 2 of the 3 didn't make it through a reasonably easy winter several years ago(although they were planted near the edge of a retaining wall and thus might have had their roots insufficiently protected). It is a fabulous looking grass, and I may try it again in a more protected spot.

Jan,

Thanks for your post, guess I was expecting black and white answers and just like anything else in life there is a lot of gray area in between. The link was very helpful and will take me back to plunking in what looks good.

Pauline

As far as running underground is concerned, it is black and white: M. sacchiflorus runs, M. sinensis does not. 'Sinensis" means of or from China (think of "sino"), and the origin of M. sinensis is Asian, not North American. Lynn Steiner is talking about M. sacchiflorus - also Asian. I suspect she included it in her book because it sometimes appears to be growing wild here. There has been much confusion between the two species, especially in earlier years, and as is the usual case, it is difficult to shake the influence of literature written in that enigmatic time.

Previously, I said sinensis does not seed in Minnesota, and for all practical purposes that is true. However, you may find an odd seedling of this Miscanthus, but it would be the rare exception, especially in a "wild" garden such as yours.

M.sinensis 'Purpurescens' is an old cultivar, but still VERY good. It grows 3-4 ft. It's called Flame Grass because of its wonderful fall color. It also tends to be less fountainlike and spreading in its leaf arrangement, and more upright than most MS. Also readily available at nurseries.

As a side note, epithets like sinensis, kentuckiensis, artica, koreana, etc. usually, but not always explain a species true origin. Sometimes it is just the first place it was "discovered" and named with botanical latin.

Rick

Crocosmia,
I think little bluestem, prairie dropseed, and indian grass would be good choices in your flower bed. They are native to MN and are all clump formers. They will reseed to some extent but not much in my experience if there is adequate competition from other plants. Stay away from big bluestem, however, it is quite successfull at reseeding. Little bluestem in particular would look great with the butterfly weed and purple prairie clover that I'm sure I see in your flower bed.

I have Panicum Heavy Metal which has self seeded a very tiny bit after several years, (ie 2 tiny plants to give away!). It is 5-6 feet tall, grayish, very beautiful. I have to stake it because it only gets half day sun. Calmagrostis Karl Foster is the best grass. Siberian Iris functions as a grass, though more floppy.

Can't say as I have had any personal experience growing Indian Grass, but in the wild it sure looks like it runs a LOT!
You're right that big bluestem reseeds extensively, and little bluestem much less.

Rick

I can attest that Miscanthus sinensis "Zebrinus" runs. I don't think it seeds.

Here it is running like mad in my hosta bed. It is really pretty and would be okay if planted in a sunken pot to contain it. If you want some, send me an email.

ManyHosta - Don't think that is a Miscanthus....'Zebrinus' has horizontal bandng. Suspect it is a variegated variety of Phalaris arundinacea which is a notorious runner. Common name is Ribbon Grass....attractive but always a fight to keep it in check.
Jan

Jan, You probably are right. I got it from a neighbor a couple of years ago and never got around to identifying it properly. Now I have to get around to digging most of it out. --MH

ManyHosta,

Good luck on digging it out. Five years ago I got one plant of ribbon grass, I have now supplied most of my neighborhood with it and am still digging. I have tried to get rid of it and can't. One of these days I will put a clump in a pot just in case I get rid of the rest.

Pauline

Indeed, Phalaris arundinacea var. picta is probably what you have - extremely invasive, but beautiful. I still grow an even whiter type - 'Feesey's Form' in a deep pot sunk in the ground. But even that one runs rampantly in free surroundings. I love it in flower or foliage arrangements.

Phalaris arundinacea var. picta 'Feesey's Form'

I was starting an inventory of plants at the Arboretum Rock Garden today. (Almost half done and already have 150 species and cultivars!) Anyway, I went to the grass plot and the indian grasses there are definitely not run, just clumping. Sorry about the false alarm.

Also looked at the Panicum virgatum cultivars (Switchgrass). Northwinds is a green, very tight, upright plant that looks as though it will top out at 7 ft. Prairie Sky is a blue cultivar, about 5 ft and also upright growing. Everyone has their likings, but these seem to be my favorites. Switchgrass is otherwise inherently wide spreading from the clump, and takes a LOT more of room.

I really don't know anything about Panicum's seeding tendencies.

Another interesting sidenote. Miscanthus sinensis 'Strictus' and 'Zebrinus' are growing side by side there. I can't tell the difference!

Rick