Short answer
Common names for ornamental grasses include maiden grass, zebra grass, fountain grass, feather reed grass, switchgrass, blue fescue, pampas grass, little bluestem, Indian grass and pink muhly grass. Many of these are shorthand for a genus or for a single cultivar, which is why the same name can point to different plants.
Why common names get confusing
- One plant, several names. Miscanthus sinensis is sold as maiden grass, Japanese silver grass or Chinese silver grass.
- One name, several plants. “Pampas grass” is used for true pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana) and sometimes for hardier look-alikes such as plume grass (Erianthus ravennae, also called hardy pampas grass).
- Cultivar names get mixed in. Zebra grass and porcupine grass are named forms of Miscanthus sinensis with banded leaves, not separate species.
- Names vary by country and region. Names used in the UK, Australia and North America do not always match.
Common names and botanical names
| Common name | Botanical name | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Maiden grass, Japanese silver grass | Miscanthus sinensis | Tall, clumping, warm-season |
| Zebra grass | Miscanthus sinensis ‘Zebrinus’ | Yellow bands across the leaves |
| Porcupine grass | Miscanthus sinensis ‘Strictus’ | Upright, banded leaves |
| Fountain grass | Pennisetum alopecuroides | Arching, bottlebrush plumes |
| Purple fountain grass | Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’ | Tender, often grown as an annual |
| Feather reed grass | Calamagrostis x acutiflora | Upright, cool-season; ‘Karl Foerster’ is popular |
| Switchgrass | Panicum virgatum | North American native prairie grass |
| Little bluestem | Schizachyrium scoparium | North American native, fall color |
| Indian grass | Sorghastrum nutans | Tall prairie native |
| Blue fescue | Festuca glauca | Small, silvery-blue mounds |
| Blue oat grass | Helictotrichon sempervirens | Blue, evergreen to semi-evergreen |
| Pink muhly grass | Muhlenbergia capillaris | Pink plumes in fall |
| Northern sea oats | Chasmanthium latifolium | Drooping seed heads; tolerates some shade |
| Japanese forest grass, hakone grass | Hakonechloa macra | Shade-tolerant, cascading |
| Ribbon grass | Phalaris arundinacea var. picta | Variegated; spreads vigorously |
| Japanese blood grass | Imperata cylindrica var. rubra | Red foliage |
| Pampas grass | Cortaderia selloana | Large, not reliably hardy in cold regions |
| Plume grass, hardy pampas grass | Erianthus ravennae | Tall, hardier than true pampas |
Grass-like plants often grouped with grasses
Several plants are sold alongside ornamental grasses but are botanically different.
- Sedges (Carex): often evergreen, many tolerate shade. See grasses vs sedges for how to tell them apart.
- Rushes (Juncus) and flat sedges (Cyperus): often like wetter ground.
- Mondo grass (Ophiopogon), sometimes called monkey grass, and lilyturf (Liriope): not true grasses. Compare the two in liriope vs mondo grass, and see when to cut back mondo grass.
Lawn grass names
Lawn grasses go by different common names, such as Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, fescue, Bermuda grass and zoysia. These are managed very differently from ornamental grasses and are outside the scope of this guide.
Tip: use the botanical name
If you are buying plants, the botanical name, including the cultivar if there is one, is the safest way to be sure you get what you want. It also tells you its mature size, hardiness and whether it is a clumper or a spreader, which affects planting and spacing. For general care, see our ornamental grass care guide.