When ornamental grasses are not cut back, spring growth is delayed and the plants look messy and half dead late into the growing season. Manual trimming with a string or electric hedge trimmer works well for a few plants. Large areas can be burned, if burning is permitted and closely supervised. Do not cut in the fall, because winter injury may result, and the winter beauty of the plants will be lost. Ornamental grasses rarely need fertilization or irrigation after establishment, except in cases of extreme drought or very sandy soil.
Most grasses prefer full sun.
A few types of ornamental grasses have invasive rhizomes, but most form dense clumps or bunches. Ornamental Grasses Hardy in USDA Zone 4a. The following plants survived ten winters, 1987-1997, at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Miscanthus sinensis 'Purpurascens' b red flame miscanthus Miscanthus sinensis 'Siberfedher' b silverfeather Molinia caerulea moorgrass 'Heidebraut' heather bride moorgrass 'Moorhexe' moorwitch moorgrass ssp. M. Hockenberry Meyer Assistant Professor Department of Horticultural Science D. B. White Professor Department of Horticultural Science H. Pellett Professor Department of Horticultural Science Produced by Communication and Educational Technology Services, University of Minnesota Extension Service.