skip to main content

Plants for Difficult Places Wisconsin Ornamental Grasses

Ornamental Grass for culvert/creek area

5 years ago

Hello! So, I recently had my culvert wash out from flooding. I repaired the bridge and now I'm trying to figure out what to plant right next to it (side of creek bed) as in the past it was just full of really tall weeds. I was considering switch grass. Any other recommendations? I'm zone 4, pretty much full sun. This grass will get wet more than likely at some point with lots of rain.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

peren.all Zone 5a Ontario Canada
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Hello to you Patty! We are limited in our zone but certain Miscanthus sinensis cvs. and Carex muskingumensis are a couple of other options.

M. s. 'Sarabande', 'Strictus' (could be too tall) and 'Morning Light' are very hardy.

I grow C. m. 'Oehme'

I am a fan of Panicum and my favorite is 'Shenandoah' but it does require full sun.
Patty McNamara thanked peren.all Zone 5a Ontario Canada
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
5 years ago
How wet and for how long? A great many OG's are just as intolerant of overly wet soils as are most other plants. I would stick to sedges, Carex species, if consistently wet. But Calamagrostis, Molinia and Deschampsia will tolerate periodic wetness.

You might want to Google rain garden grasses for your area to get other possibilities.
Patty McNamara thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
Related Discussions
Dry creek bed
Q
Comments (2)
Looks great. I need to do one as well to minimize runoff from our pipes into the neighbors yard. The space is narrow and has a lot of tree/bush roots. Most recs are to make it at least 2 feet wide. Will it still work if its only a foot or 6 inches wide?
...See More
sand and salt and sun (and ornamental grasses?)
Q
Comments (3)
OG's will do great in your space. Chances are, there's no salt in your soil, as salt is highly soluble, and would be washed out by rain. Salt air is another thing entirely, and I've found that most plants tolerate it just fine. I live beside a saltwater canal, and grow all sorts of grasses and other perennials with no problem.
...See More
Ornamental grasses: not native (that behave)
Q
Comments (15)
My Miscanthus sinesis 'Silber Fedder' has been in the same spot for 8 years now and has only spread to about 4 feet in diameter and produced just two babies from seeds one that I have transplanted and one that I traded away. Northern Sea Oats will stay put but, one must collect the seeds before spring or plants will be coming up everywhere(the babies are pulled easily though). The patch I grow by my pond has been there for five years and never gets any bigger. I usually remove the seed heads in January. Is there such a thing as any well behaved plant? I find different things growing all over the place. I must have spilled some pepper seeds in a large container of soil in the greenhouse last winter because I have had peppers come up in four or five potted plants. Since they have a cool dark foliage, I just leave them. This white torrenia was a volunteer as well in this pot.
...See More
Depressing Economy, More 'Grow Food' Gardening Than Ornamentals?
Q
Comments (37)
We aren't allowed to shoot in the Municipality. Canadian, eh. Tonight there were 4 beauties in our pasture. Sigh. I love venison. I have to admit to using a pellet gun to try to kill squirrels. No success yet. And I am not planning to eat them. We used to have chickens and they were marvellous for cleaning up all the bugs. Then the mink and raccoons killed the chickens. Dogs killed our sheep. I'm quite discouraged about animals on our little farm. I'm hoping that we can deer fence with strong enough, high enough fence that will keep the dogs out and perhaps we can get a few rent-a-sheep to keep things tidy. Isn't gardening great though? It is quite an inexpensive hobby that it very healthy and has wonderful benefits. Beauty and good taste.
...See More
User
5 years ago
I recommend Switchgrass. It likes wet, tolerates standing water and is recommended as a stabilizer in wet areas. Its also native. Besides tolerating standing water it also tolerates heat & drought, is very cold hardy & easy to cut back in late winter because it doesn't have sharp leaves like Miscanthus. My favorites are Northwind and Heavy Metal, both are very vertical.

Avoid 'Prairie Sky'. It tends to flop when too wet.
Patty McNamara thanked User

Related Stories

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Ditch the Ordinary Ditch: Create a Realistic Dry Creek Bed

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

Here’s how to turn your water runoff system into an eye-catching accent for your landscape

LANDSCAPE DESIGN California Says Goodbye to the Sprawling Ornamental Lawn

By Annie Thornton

New state rules will effectively limit turfgrass to 25 percent of the landscape in most new and renovated yards

GARDENING GUIDES How to Get Your Prairie On

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Have a field day with your landscape, even if you've got just a few modern containers on a paved path

MOST POPULAR Meet a Lawn Alternative That Works Wonders

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Carex can replace turfgrass in any spot, is low maintenance and adjusts easily. Add its good looks and you’ve got a ground cover winner

GARDENING GUIDES Great Garden Combo: 6 Beautiful Plants for a Shady, Wet Site

Transform a shade garden with moisture-loving golden grasses, textural leaves and a sprinkling of flowers

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Patio of the Week: Family Yard for Relaxing and Entertaining

By Annie Thornton

After a fire destroyed their home, homeowners rebuilt it and then redid their outdoor areas with help from pros

WINTER GARDENING Inspiring Winter Scenes From the Denver Botanic Gardens

Use seed heads, bare branches and grasses to design lovely garden displays when the ground is frozen

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Dasylirion Quadrangulatum

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

The drought-tolerant Mexican grass tree adds dramatic interest to the Southwest garden

PETS Room of the Day: Laundry Room Goes to the Dogs

By Mary Jo Bowling

Muddy paws are no problem in this new multipurpose room

EARTH DAY The Case for Losing the Traditional Lawn

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Work less, help the environment and foster connections by just saying no to typical turf

Sponsored

Dave Fox Design Build Remodelers

49 Reviews

Columbus Area's Luxury Design Build Firm | 17x Best of Houzz Winner!