Gardening Landscaping

14 Best Ornamental Grasses for Adding Privacy to the Garden

By
Jamie McIntosh
Jamie McIntosh
Jamie McIntosh
Jamie McIntosh has written about gardening and special occasion flowers for the Spruce since 2011. She has more than 20 years of experience caring for flowers and plants. She was a feature writer for Organic Gardening at Suite101, where she won awards for her writing.
Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process
Updated on 06/04/24
pampas grass

The Spruce / Letícia Almeida

Gardeners who want to block a neighbor's yard or screen a patio without building a structure should consider planting perennial ornamental grasses. Unlike evergreen trees and shrubs, ornamental grasses grow very quickly, usually reaching their mature size in two seasons. Their fast growth rate makes them ideal for privacy hedges because new plants can rapidly fill in any gaps. Moreover, ornamental grasses can be an economical way to achieve privacy on your property. Here are the best types of ornamental grass that will add privacy and beauty to your landscape.

Tip

When choosing ornamental grass, first verify that the variety is hardy in your climate. Also, learn whether the grass grows in clumps or tends to spread to make sure it will fit in your planting area. 

10 DIY Privacy Screen Plans
  • 01 of 14

    Zebra Grass

    Zebra grass plant with long thin blades of variegated golden and green leaves

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Plants with variegated foliage—foliage with a multicolored pattern—are quite popular among gardeners. The foliage of zebra grass (Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus') can add both visual interest and privacy to your landscape. Under the right conditions, zebra grass can reach its lush 5- to 8-foot potential with a 4- to 6-foot spread. Its clumping habit makes it ideal to grow as a hedge. Water zebra grass regularly until it’s established. Then, it likely will only need watering during an extended dry spell. Moreover, the plant can benefit from a layer of compost each year.

    • Name: Zebra Grass (Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus')
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    • Soil Needs: Moist, well-draining, neutral pH
  • 02 of 14

    Hardy Clumping Bamboo

    Hardy clumping bamboo with golden yellow-green tortoiseshell pattern and green branches

    The Spruce / Gyscha Rendy

    Bamboo (Bambusoideae) is a grass, albeit a very large grass. Although bamboo has a reputation for being invasive in the garden, you can control this by planting the clumping type rather than those that spread by runners. Look for bamboo plants in the Fargesia genus, which are slow-growing and cold hardy. Fargesia robusta can grow up to 17 feet tall and offer great privacy. Water bamboo enough to keep it moderately moist. Fertilizer usually isn’t necessary, but a layer of compost can promote growth. Keep in mind that all bamboo will spread and can be difficult to eradicate once established.

    • Name: Hardy Clumping Bamboo (Bambusoideae)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
    • Soil Needs: Rich, moist, well-draining
  • 03 of 14

    Pampas Grass

    Pampas grass with tan colored plumes on thin stems

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    ​The tender variety of pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana) can be invasive in mild climates. It grows in clumps that can reach 8 to 12 feet tall with a 4- to 6-foot spread for privacy in the garden. This grass is drought tolerant and likely will only need watering during extended dry spells once it’s established. Fertilizer also usually isn’t necessary. You can find a hardier version of this plant in Saccharum ravennae, also known as plume grass or ravenna grass, which grows in zones 5 to 9.

    • Name: Pampas Grass (Cortaderia selloana)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 8 to 10
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    • Soil Needs: Dry to medium moisture, well-draining
  • 04 of 14

    Feather Reed Grass

    Feather reed grass blowing in wind closeup

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Feather reed grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora) grows in dense clumps of erect, narrow, green leaves that grow about 3 feet long. Pinkish-purple, feathery flower spikes grow above the leaves a couple feet in the summer. It grows to about 5 feet tall with a 2-foot spread. The grass, including the popular 'Karl Foerster' cultivar, needs above-average moisture conditions to thrive. Plus, unlike many other kinds of ornamental grass, feather reed grass doesn't mind heavy clay soil that drains slowly. If you have a rain garden and want a low-maintenance, medium-height screening plant that tolerates some shade, this grass can meet your needs. This grass prefers consistently moist soil, so regular watering often is necessary. Cut back the plant either in the fall or early spring to promote new growth.

    • Name: Feather Reed Grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    • Soil Needs: Rich, moist, tolerates clay
    Continue to 5 of 14 below
  • 05 of 14

    Big Bluestem

    Big bluestem native grass with tall and thin bluish-green stems

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    This North American native plant is a great choice for a privacy screen, growing to about 6 feet tall with a 2- to 3-foot spread. If you had lived in the Midwest 200 years ago, you would have seen large swaths of big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) covering most of the prairie with its bluish-green tint in the spring and summer. Neither deer nor drought​ can faze this tough grass. Plant it in a sunny spot, and it will adapt to a range of soil conditions. Water young plants regularly. Established plants are fairly drought tolerant and don’t usually need watering.

    • Name: Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 4 to 9
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    • Soil Needs: Average, dry to medium moisture, well-draining
  • 06 of 14

    Pink Hair Grass

    Pink muhly grass with thin blades and soft fuzzy pink flower plumes

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Pink hair grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris), or pink muhly grass, is another native beauty that gardeners can grow with little effort. The grass tops out at about 3 to 4 feet, making it perfect for a patio edging that provides some screening for a seating area. Showy pink flowers appear in September and linger to give the garden some winter interest. Pink hair grass tolerates lean soil and dry conditions and can help to ease erosion on slopes. When given consistent moisture, the plant can grow taller. Plus, planting it in a sheltered area in a raised bed can stretch the northern limit of its growing zone.

    • Name: Pink Hair Grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
    • Soil Needs: Sandy or rocky, dry to medium moisture, well-draining
  • 07 of 14

    Fountain Grass

    Purple fountain grass clustered together with fuzzy tan catkins on brown stems

    The Spruce / Autumn Wood

    Fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides) adds privacy and visual interest to a landscape, thanks to its fuzzy catkins (flowering spikes). This plant does best in full sun, though it can tolerate some shade. And its foliage usually remains attractive through winter. It grows in clumps that are around 3 to 5 feet in both height and spread. Some dwarf cultivars exist, so check the plant tag if you want to use it for a privacy screen. Water a young plant once or twice a week until it’s established. You likely won’t have to water mature plants unless you don’t get occasional rain. Fertilizer isn’t necessary, but it can boost growth.

    • Name: Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 6 to 9
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
    • Soil Needs: Average, medium to wet
  • 08 of 14

    Switchgrass

    Switchgrass with tall dark yellow stalks clumped in bunches in sunlight

    The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova

    Another North American native is switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) which produces dramatic, swaying feathery pinkish-purple flower plumes and green leaves that turn copper in the fall. It is an adaptable plant that grows in both moist and dry conditions. The grass tends to prefer sandy or clay soil and might flop in soil that is too rich. Thus, you can skip fertilizer unless you have nutrient-deficient soil. The plant grows to around 3 to 6 feet tall with a 2- to 3-foot spread, offering a moderate amount of privacy for a garden. Switchgrass also is an important plant in the ecosystem, providing oil-rich seeds for birds in winter.

    • Name: Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
    • Soil Needs: Average, medium to wet
    Continue to 9 of 14 below
  • 09 of 14

    New Zealand Flax

    New Zealand flax grass with thick yellow-green blades closeup

    The Spruce / Letí­cia Almeida

    New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax) has strap-like leaves which are broader than the thinner and finer fountain grasses, making them ideal for privacy plants. The spiky, sword-like leaves can be found in green, red, copper, or yellow tones and the plant tends to reach heights of over 5 feet and spread about 4 feet wide; some cultivars can grow up to 12 feet high. It's a most versatile grass that also does well in containers that you can move around for privacy where needed. Plant this perennial in the spring in areas that are sheltered from winds, but otherwise, New Zealand flax is not particularly fussy about its light, soil, or water needs.

    • Name: New Zealand Flax (Phormium tenax)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 8 to 10
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun to part shade
    • Soil Needs: Medium to rich moist, well-drained soil
  • 10 of 14

    Chinese Silver Grass

    chinese silvergrass

    Catherine McQueen/Getty Images

    One of the most popular grasses, Chinese silver grass (Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light'), grows large, feathery, and tall but does just as well in the ground as it does in containers which can be moved around for privacy where needed. Plant Chinese silver grass about 4 feet apart in the ground and they will grow the perfect size to hide fences. Its huge silvery-tinged plumes can grow up to 7 or 8 feet tall—sometimes it can grow as high as 14 feet in a single season—to provide lots of screening. The plant's airy growth habit has a softening, yet brightening effect in a garden, thanks to variegated green and white striped leaves. Plant in full sun where the soil is fertile and moist. This perennial does best when cut back in the spring before new growth arrives.

    • Name: Chinese Silver Grass (Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light')
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 3 to 9
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    • Soil Needs: Medium-moisture, well-drained soil
    How to Grow and Care for Pink Muhly Grass
  • 11 of 14

    River Oats

    River oats

    EUNBI KIM/Getty Images

    The dancing seeds of river oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) are a regular sight in wet areas of the Southeast. This tall grass grows well in fertile, moist soil that's found along coastal areas, and it does well whether it's sandy, loamy, or clay. As long as it's planted in an area with shade, this clump-forming grass should thrive. It also looks nice as it dries, making it a lovely addition to floral arrangements.

    • Name: River Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 5a to 9b
    • Sun Exposure: Partial shade
    • Soil Needs: Sandy, loamy, or clay, moist
  • 12 of 14

    Porcupine Grass

    Porcupine grass

    Kristine Radkovska/Getty Images

    The striking variegated foliage of porcupine grass (Micanthus sinensis 'Strictus') grows upright, often reaching heights of six to eight feet. Its vibrant stripes will last from summer well into winter, and you can plant it in both urban and rural areas. It is deer resistant so you don't have to worry about unwelcome animals making a feast of your yard.

    • Name: Porcupine Grass (Micanthus sinensis 'Strictus')
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 9
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun, partial shade
    • Soil Needs: Moist, well-drained
    Continue to 13 of 14 below
  • 13 of 14

    Purple Majesty Grass

    Purple grass

    chuchart duangdaw/Getty Images

    The unexpected dark purple color of purple majesty grass (Pennisetum glaucum) makes it a striking choice for a tall ornamental grass. The purple seedheads that appear on the ends add to its unique look. This grass, which is hardy in almost every USDA zone, does well in sun and heat.

    • Name: Purple Majesty Grass (Pennisetum glaucum)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 2 to 11
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    • Soil Needs: Loamy, sandy, well-drained
  • 14 of 14

    Giant Needle Grass

    Giant needle grass

    Francesca Leslie/Getty Images

    Giant needle grass (Celtica gigantea), which is also known as golden oats, is the delicately tufted yet large grass that seems to glow during golden hour. When the breeze blows through it, giant needle grass takes on the look of waves rustling across a field (or your yard!).

    • Name: Giant Needle Grass (Celtica gigantea)
    • USDA Hardiness Zones: 5 to 10
    • Sun Exposure: Full sun
    • Soil Needs: Moist, well-drained, clay, loamy, sandy
FAQ
  • Which type of ornamental grass is the tallest?

    Pampas grass and Chinese silver grass are two of the tallest types of ornamental grass.

  • How should you trim ornamental grass?

    When you trim an ornamental grass, first, make sure it doesn't have sharp edges. If it does, put on gloves and take necessary precautions. It may be easiest to tie the grass in a bundle before trimming with sharp garden shears.

  • Do ornamental grasses spread?

    Some types of ornamental grasses spread, while others clump. Some kinds both clump and spread. Know what the ornamental grass you've chosen does, so you allocate the proper space for it in your yard area and avoid planting an invasive species.

How to Grow Black Mondo Grass for Stunning Contrast in Your Yard