Grasses in Shade

Menu

Hotlinks:

Gallery: California Native Gardens

Add

Grasses in Shade

Fountain Grass

Lavender Blue Iris

Common name:Fountain Grass
Botanical name:Pennisetum alopecuroides

Pennisetum alopecuroides is a perennial grass. Bright green, 3'-4' tall foliage clumps are topped by pinkish plumes in early summer. Leaves turn yellow in fall and brown in winter. Tall grasses are highly combustible.

Lavender Blue Iris

Common name:Lavender Blue Iris
Botanical name:Iris Pacific Coast Hybrid 'Lavender Blue

This native Iris will grow 1'-3' tall and has large, dark green leaves with lavender blue flowers that bloom in fall and sometimes in winter. It is drought tolerant.

Designer:

Grasses in Shade
Image: 2 of 20

Photographer: Vicki Anderson

Soils and Compost:

Maintain a two to four inch layer of mulch on the soil surface to reduce weeds, infiltrate rain water, and reduce compaction.

Water Saving Tip:

Replace turf with groundcovers, trees, and shrubs. If you have areas where no one uses the grass, patches that do not grow well, or a turf area too small to water without runoff, consider replacing the turf with water-efficient landscaping.

Integrated Pest Management:

Remove irrigation water and fertilizer from areas where you don't want weeds to grow.