Plant identification grasses

The following photos will allow you to identify grasses. Click on image to view plant details.

Acorus gramineus “Variegatus”

Grass-Leaf Flag, Slender Sweet Flag

Origin: "Variegatus" is a cultivar. Acorus gramineus is native to Eastern Asia.

Brachypodium sylvaticum

False Brome

Height: More than 100 centimeters

USDA zone: 5 (-9.4 °F/-23 °C)

Carex acutiformis

Lesser Pond Sedge

Origin: Europe to Asia

Carex brunnea

Greater Brown Sedge

Origin: Tropical Africa, Asia, Australia

Carex foliosissima “Irish Green”

Irish Green Sedge

Origin: The wild type is native to Japan

Height: 20 to 40 centimeters

USDA zone: 5 (-9.4 °F/-23 °C)

Carex ornithopoda “Variegata”

Greater Brown Sedge

Origin: Carex ornithopoda "Variegata" is a cultivar. The wild type is native to Europe.

Carex oshimensis “Evergold”

Japanese Sedge

Origin:"Evergold" is a cultivar. Carex oshimensis is native to Japan.

Carex pendula

Pendulous Sedge, Hanging Sedge

Origin: Europe, Asia, North Africa and invasive in some parts of the USA.

Carex pseudocyperus

Cyperus Sedge, Hop Sedge

Origin: Europe, Asia, North America

Chasmanthium latifolium

Woodoats, Inland Sea Oats

Origin: Canada to Mexico

Chlorophytum comosum “Bonnie”

Spider Plant, Airplane Plant

Origin: "Bonnie" is a cultivar. Chlorophytum comosum is native to Africa.

Chlorophytum comosum “Variegatum”

Spider Plant, Airplane Plant, Ribbonplant

Origin: The wild type is native to Africa (tropical Africa, South Africa) and a naturalized species in other regions.

Height: 20 to 60 centimeters

Cortaderia selloana

Pampas Grass

South America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay)

Cortaderia selloana “Gold Band”

Pampas Grass

Origin: "Gold Band" is a cultivar. Cortaderia selloana is native to South America.

Cortaderia selloana “Pumila”

Dwarf Pampas Grass

Origin: The wild type is native to South America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay).

Height: 90 to 150 centimeters

Cortaderia selloana cv.

Pampas Grass

Origin: The wild type is native to South America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay).

Height: 90 to 250 centimeters

Cyperus alternifolius

Umbrella Papyrus, Umbrella Palm

Origin: Tropical and subtropical Africa

Height, habit: 50 to 150 centimeters, herbaceous plant

USDA zone: 12 (50 °F/10 °C)

Cyperus haspan

Dwarf Papyrus Sedge, Haspan Flat Sedge

Origin: Subtropical and tropial regions in Africa, Asia, Australia, North America and South America.

Dactylis glomerata

Cock's-Foot, Orchard Grass, Cat Grass

Origin: Africa, Asia, Europe and as a naturalized species also in some North and South American regions as well as in Australia and New Zealand.

Dianella tasmanica “Variegata”

Origin: The wild type is native to Australia

Height, habit: Up to 1.5 meters, evergreen herbaceous plant

USDA zone: 10 (36 °F/2 °C)

Echinochloa crus-galli

Cockspur, Barnyard Millet

Origin: Nearly global

Hakonechloa macra

Japanese Forest Grass, Hakone Grass

Origin: Japan

Hakonechloa macra “Aureola”

Japanese Forest Grass, Hakone Grass

Origin: The wild type is native to Japan.

Hakonechloa macra cv.

Japanese Forest Grass, Hakone Grass

Origin: The wild type is native to Japan.

Hakonechloa macra cv.

Japanese Forest Grass, Hakone Grass

Origin: The wild type is native to Japan.

Hordeum vulgare cv.

Barley

Origin: The wild type is native to Asia, Europe (Greece), North Africa (Egypt, Libya).

Imperata cylindrica “Red Baron”

Japanese Bloodgrass, Blady Grass

Origin: "Red Baron" is a cultivar. Imperata cylindrica is native to South Eastern Asia and Africa.

Juncus effusus “Spiralis”

Corkscrew Rush, Common Rush

Origin: The wild type is native to Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America.

Koeleria glauca

Blue Hair Grass

Origin: Europe, Asia (Siberia, Kazakhstan)

Luzula nivea

Snow-White Wood-Rush, Snowy Wood-Rush

Origin: Europe

Miscanthus sinensis

Chinese Silver Grass, Eulalia Grass

Origin: China, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Philippines, Russia, Taiwan

Miscanthus sinensis “Rotsilber”

Chinese Silver Grass, Eulalia Grass

Origin: The wild type is native to China, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Philippines, Russia, Taiwan.

Miscanthus sinensis “Strictus”

Zebra Grass, Chinese Silver Grass

Origin: The wild type is native to China, Japan, Korea, Indonesia, Philippines, Russia, Taiwan.

Ophiopogon planiscapus “Nigrescens”

Black Mondo

Origin: Ophiopogon planiscapus is native to Japan.

Oryza sativa

Asian Rice

Origin: Oryza sativa is cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions.

Pennisetum orientale

White Fountaingrass, Oriental Pennisetum

Origin: Caucasus, Greece, Northern Africa, Western Asia

Phalaris arundinacea “Picta”

Reed Canarygrass, Gardener's-Garters

Origin: Only cultivated. Phalaris arundinacea is native to Europe, Asia and North America.

Phragmites australis

Reed, Common or Ditch or Giant Reed

Origin: Nearly global

Height: 100 to 400 centimeters

Pleioblastus fortunei “Variegata”

Pygmy Bamboo, Dwarf White-Stripe Bamboo

Origin: The wild type is native to Asia (China).

Height: 50 to 100 centimeters

Pogonatherum paniceum

Baby Panda, Pygmy Bamboo

Origin: Subtropical and tropical Asia, Arabian Peninsula

Rhynchospora colorata

White Star Sedge, White-Topped Sedge

Origin: USA to South America

Sesleria autumnalis

Blue Grass

Origin: Albania, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Serbia, Slovenia, France, Spain, Morocco, Lebanon

Setaria palmifolia

Palmgrass

Origin: Asia, Australia

Height, habit: 70 to 200 centimeters, herbaceous plant

USDA zone: 12 (50 °F/10 °C)

Setaria pumila

Yellow foxtail

Africa, Asia, Europe and as an introduced species also in some parts of North America and South America

Habit, height: Herbaceous, grassy plant, 10 to 100 centimeters

USDA zone: 5 (-9.4 °F/-23 °C)

Setaria viridis

Green Foxtail

Origin: Asia, Europe, North Africa

Height, habit: 5 to 50 centimeters, herbaceous plant

USDA zone: 5 (-9.4 °F/-23 °C)

Sorghum halepense

Johnson grass

Origin: Mediterranean region

Height, habit: Grassy, perennial plant, 80 to 150 centimeters

USDA zone: 8 (19 °F/-7°C)

Trisetum flavescens

Yellow Oatgrass, Golden Oat Grass

Origin: Europe, Asia (Caucasus, West Asia, Central Asia), North Africa (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia)

Height: 40 to 100 centimeters

Triticum aestivum cv.

Common wheat

Origin: The first cultivar of wheatgrass is said to have originated in Western Asia

Height: 40 to 120 centimeters

USDA zone: 5 (-9.4 °F/-23 °C)

What are grasses?

Grasses are plants with long and thin leaves. Their leaves are also called culms or grass blades.

Grasses can grow as annuals or perennials, spreading by seeds and runners. They are found almost worldwide and have adapted to many habitats. Some species grow in the sea.

Not all grasses are related to each other.

Not all grasses are green. Some have bluish or brown blades.

Popular grasses

For human nutrition, the Gramineae family is probably the most important. It includes such popular cereals as Wheat, Barley, Corn, Rice, Spelt and Rye.

By the way, Buckwheat is not a cereal and is not related to the above-mentioned species.

In temperate regions popular as garden plants are some Sedges (genus Carex) from the Cyperaceae family. Like the Japanese Sedge (Carex oshimensis).

Popular perennials from the Gramineae family are Pampas Grass (Cortaderia selloana) and Chinese Silver Grass (Miscanthus sinensis).