Zones 7 and 8 at a glance
Zone 7 has average winter lows of about 0°F to 10°F, and zone 8 about 10°F to 20°F. Winter cold is rarely the limit for grasses here. The bigger challenges tend to be wet winters, humid summers and, in places, plants that self-seed more freely than gardeners would like.
That makes zones 7 and 8 the widest part of the map for ornamental grasses. Almost everything hardy in zones 5 and 6 works, along with a number of grasses that need milder winters. For colder gardens, see our guide to zones 5 and 6; for warmer ones, see zones 9 and 10.
Top picks
Tall (about 4 feet and up)
- ‘Karl Foerster’ feather reed grass (Calamagrostis × acutiflora): upright, up to about 5 or 6 feet, with early plumes that hold through winter. Usually listed for zones 5 to 9. As a cool-season grass, it does best where summers are not extremely hot and tolerates damp soil better than most.
- Maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis): a fountain-shaped clump, with ‘Gracillimus’ reaching around 5 to 6 feet and compact cultivars like ‘Adagio’ smaller. It performs well across zone 7, but it can self-seed in some areas, so ask your local extension office or choose sterile or low-seeding cultivars. See Miscanthus vs Pennisetum.
- Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum): upright natives such as ‘Shenandoah’ (red tones) and ‘Northwind’ (blue-green, very upright).
- Pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana): huge white plumes on a plant that can reach 7 feet or more across and tall. It is generally listed for zones 7 or 8 to 10; in zone 7 it is marginal, and some sources say it is not reliable north of zone 8. It also has sharp leaf edges and can be a problem in some regions, so it needs space and local checking. See is pampas grass invasive.
Medium (about 2 to 4 feet)
- Pink muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris): a native with a pink to rose-purple haze in late summer and fall. Listed for zones 6 to 9 or so, it likes full sun and well-drained soil. See how to grow pink muhly grass.
- Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium): blue-green leaves that turn copper, orange and red in fall. It is reasonably well behaved and drought tolerant once established.
- ‘Hameln’ dwarf fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides): about 2 to 3 feet with soft plumes. Hardy to zone 9.
- Prairie dropseed and northern sea oats also do well; sea oats is a self-seeder but tolerates shade.
Short (under about 2 feet)
- Blue fescue (‘Elijah Blue’): needs good drainage and may struggle in the hottest, most humid summers.
- Mexican feather grass (Nassella tenuissima): fine and wispy, but it self-seeds heavily in warm climates and is considered invasive in some areas, so avoid it unless you are sure it is acceptable locally.
- Dwarf fountain grasses such as ‘Little Bunny’.
Shade
For shady corners, Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra) and sedges such as Carex oshimensis ‘Everillo’ and ‘Everest’ are reliable. They prefer part shade and some moisture. Northern sea oats also tolerates light shade.
Grasses that survive winter
“Surviving winter” can mean two things. Deciduous grasses, such as Miscanthus, switchgrass and feather reed grass, die back to the crown and regrow, while the dry foliage still stands as winter interest. Evergreen or semi-evergreen types, such as many sedges, blue fescue and (in zone 8) pampas grass, keep some foliage through winter. In zones 7 and 8, nearly every grass listed as hardy to zone 7 will return. The most common cause of loss is soggy soil over winter, so drainage matters more than extra protection.
When to plant
Fall and spring are both fine in zones 7 and 8. Following guidance from nursery growers:
- Warm-season grasses (switchgrass, Miscanthus, muhly, little bluestem) can be planted from spring through mid-summer.
- Cool-season grasses (feather reed grass, fescue, tufted hair grass) do best planted in spring or early fall.
- Evergreen grass-like plants such as sedges are often best planted in spring.
Water regularly through the first season. After they are established, most of the grasses above handle dry spells.
What type of grass is best for a 7B zone?
The question comes up in two forms. For ornamental gardens, any of the above will work. For lawns, zone 7 sits in what is often called the transition zone, where both cool-season lawn grasses (such as tall fescue) and warm-season ones (such as Bermuda or zoysia) are used. That is a different topic from ornamental grasses, and your local extension office can advise on the best turf for your county.
Care and cutting back
Cut deciduous grasses back to a few inches above the ground in late winter or early spring, before new shoots appear. Divide clumps that die out in the middle, usually every few years. Full sun, average soil and little fertilizer is the right approach for most; rich soil tends to make tall grasses flop.
For more on native options, see our article on Midwest and native prairie grasses.