What “evergreen” means for grasses
Most hardy ornamental grasses are deciduous. They die back each fall and turn tan or buff, and the old foliage stands until you cut it back. A smaller group keeps its leaves all year, and a larger group is semi-evergreen, which means the foliage stays in mild winters but can look tattered or die back in colder ones.
Two things are worth knowing:
- Evergreen status depends on your climate. A plant that stays green in zone 8 may brown in zone 5.
- Many “evergreen grasses” are not true grasses. Sedges, mondo grass, sweet flag and lomandra are grass-like plants from other families. They are used as grasses in the garden, though. See grasses vs sedges.
If you want plants that look good in winter whether or not they are green, see our companion article on year-round ornamental grasses for four-season interest.
Best evergreen and semi-evergreen options
Zones below come from the commonly cited ranges for each plant. Actual hardiness varies by cultivar and supplier, so check the label.
For sun
- Blue fescue (Festuca glauca): a tidy, silver-blue mound about 8 to 12 inches tall, usually rated for zones 4 to 8 or 9. It is evergreen to semi-evergreen and prefers full sun and sharp drainage. See blue ornamental grasses.
- Lomandra (such as ‘Platinum Beauty’): arching green and cream foliage, about 2 to 3 feet tall, suited to warm climates, commonly zones 8 to 11.
- Giant feather grass (Stipa gigantea): an evergreen to semi-evergreen clump in mild climates with tall golden flower stems, for zones 7 to 10 in the sources used here.
- Blue oat grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens): steel-blue foliage that is evergreen in many climates. It is drought tolerant once established.
- Orange New Zealand sedge (Carex testacea) and bronze sedges (Carex comans, Carex flagellifera): bronze to orange foliage, evergreen in mild climates. They need good drainage. More options are in Australian and New Zealand grasses.
For shade or part shade
- Japanese sedge (Carex oshimensis, such as ‘Evergold’, ‘Everillo’ and ‘Everest’): bright gold, lime or variegated foliage, usually about 1 to 1.5 feet tall, often hardy in zones 5 to 9. See the best Carex varieties for shade gardens.
- Mondo grass (Ophiopogon japonicus) and black mondo grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus ‘Nigrescens’): dense, low mats or tufts. They suit warmer zones, roughly 7 to 10, and black mondo does better in a protected spot. See liriope vs mondo grass.
- Sweet flag (Acorus gramineus, such as ‘Ogon’): glossy, fan-shaped leaves in green or gold.
- Woodrush (Luzula sylvatica): evergreen clumps for moist shade.
- Autumn moor grass (Sesleria autumnalis): a compact, semi-evergreen clump that tolerates part shade.
Moisture lovers
- Corkscrew rush (Juncus effusus ‘Spiralis’): twisted green stems that stay evergreen in mild climates, for moist or wet soil. See grasses and rushes for pond edges.
Care: comb, don’t chop
Evergreen grasses usually do not need the hard cut-back that deciduous grasses get. Instead:
- Comb or rake out dead blades in late winter or early spring, using gloved fingers or a rake. The dead leaves usually separate easily from new growth.
- Trim only if needed. If a clump looks shabby after a hard winter, cut it back by up to about a third in spring once frost has passed, rather than shearing it to the ground.
- Divide in spring. Dividing wounds the plant, and evergreen types may struggle if divided in fall.
More detail is in should all ornamental grasses be cut back in the spring and how to care for ornamental grasses.
Water and light needs vary. Sedges and mondo grass often like moderate moisture and part shade, whereas blue fescue and lomandra prefer full sun and lean, well-drained soil.
Design uses
- Edging and ground cover: blue fescue, mondo grass and low sedges.
- Winter containers: fescues, small sedges and sweet flag keep pots looking good when other plants have faded.
- Shade gardens: golden sedges brighten the area and pair well with hostas and ferns.
- Contrast: use evergreens at the base of tall deciduous grasses so the bed does not look empty in winter.
For the broader picture of what to grow, see types of ornamental grasses.