PJ's Perch

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                          Container sizes:  qt = quart  2-qt = two quart  GL = gallon

CALAMAGROSTIS  Full sun to part shade / Deer resistant
Feather reed grass is admired and grown for its upright posture that provides a stunning vertical accent. The feathery plumes emerge in early summer, a soft purple turning beige, and remain attractive well into winter. They are easily grown in fertile, moist soils, but are adaptable to heavy clay soils. All are beautiful and dependable, creating high drama when planted in groups, and equally lovely as specimens. 'Avalanche' and 'Overdam' are two variegated-leaf beauties that seem to appreciate some afternoon shade in our hot and humid summer climate. C. brachytricha is my personal favorite, growing well in shade, where it provides a splendid contrast to hosta, astilbe, and ferns.
Calimagrostis acutiflora 'Avalanche' $10.95 GL   Zones 4 - 7
This extraordinary feather reed grass is similar to 'Karl Foerster', but with a twist. The lush 4 foot clumps offer up a knock our contrast of creamy white leaves, boldly edged in green. Height 4 feet.
acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' $10.95 GL    Zones 4 - 9
'Karl Foerster' has good looks throughout four seasons. In spring and summer, you get lush clumps of upright blades, richly green. In summer, wheat-like inflorescence rocket skyward and are attractive throughout autumn and winter, as the leaf blades turn to gold. 2001 Perennial Plant Association Plant of the Year and a Plants of Merit selection (plantsofmerit.org) from the Missouri Botanical Garden. Height 3 - 4 feet.
Calamagrostis acutiflora 'Overdam' $10.95 GL  Zones 4 - 7
This lovely reed grass positively glows in the spring with a brightness that is hard to look away from. The compact, erect leaf blades are painted a creamy white, with a narrow stripe of green down the center of each blade. In June, erect spikes of feathery plumes appear, that are lovely throughout the growing season. Height 3 - 4 feet.
Calamagrostis brachytricha $10.95 2-qt    Zones 4 - 9
This versatile reed grass will grow in sun or shade, sailing through hot, steamy summer with erect, narrow clumps of fresh green blades providing a much needed architecture to garden beds. The graceful, feathery plumes appear in late summer, bronzing as they age, and make lovely, unique cut flower material fresh or dried. Height 3 - 4 feet.

CAREX (Sedges)   Deer resistant
Sedges are trendy, grass-like plants that gardeners can't seem to get enough of. Their diversity in form, color, and size makes them adaptable for many garden uses. Grown in containers, as groundcover, or as a marginal aquatic at pond's edge, they morph into beautiful clumps of frilly, sometimes weeping, narrow blades, providing a perfect accent or contrast to fellow perennials.
Carex elata 'Bowle's Golden' $9.95 2-qt  Part sun / Zones 5 - 8
An awesome sedge for moist to wet sites…bright golden foliage is astonishing. Height 24"
Carex flacca 'Blue Zinger' $5.95 2-qt  Sun to part shade / Zones 5 - 9
Fine textured, dwarf clumps of narrow, powdery blue leaf blades. Tolerates drought once established, making it a valuable plant for dry shady areas (sun too!). Height 12 inches.
Carex muskingumensis 'Little Midge' (Miniature Palm Sedge) $5.95 qt Sun to part shade / Zones 5 / 8
When planning garden beds I always find myself looking for a perfect filler to weave amongst the taller, more prominent plants. Found it! 'Little Midge' is a delightful new Carex introduction, much shorter than the species, so it doesn't flop by midseason. Like miniature palm trees, adding a touch of tropicalismo, this very beautiful and useful groundcover is hardy, easy to grow, and one we plan to utilize in our lath house, partnered with hostas---a perfect textural contrast! Height 8 inches.

CHASMANTHIUM latifolium (Northern Sea Oats)  $8.95 GL    Full sun to part shade / Zones 3 – 8 / Deer resistant
Shade gardeners always ask for this adaptable, beautiful native American grass. They call it Sea Oats, for the oat-like seedheads it produces in summer. This is one of the few ornamental grasses that will grow in shade. The handsome bamboo-like foliage grows to a height of 30 inches. Self sows.

MISCANTHUS (Maiden Grass) Full sun / Deer resistant
The Maiden Grasses are the most popular of ornamental grasses, and it's easy to see why….just picture a voluptuous, weeping fountain of fine textured blades, that in autumn is crowned in a top hat of silvery panicles I can't think of a more beautiful sight than a mature clump in full plumage, the leaf blades in shades of gold, rust and beige, all backlit by a waning autumn sun.
Miscanthus sinensis 'Adagio'  $11.95 GL  Zones 5 - 9
Silvery-pink plumes appearing in August literally blanket the compact fountains of cascading, fine leaf blades. 'Adagio' is a 2003 Plants of Merit selection (plantsofmerit.org) from the Missouri Botanical Garden. Height 5 feet.
Miscanthus sinensis 'Cosmopolitan'  $11.95 GL  Zones 5 - 9
A spectacle to behold! 'Cosmopolitan' is a tall fountain of arching, wide green blades brazenly painted with creamy white borders. The fluffy, blowsy, flower panicles emerge a coppery red color in early autumn, maturing to silver tones. Quite an eyeful! Height 6 - 7 feet.
Miscanthus sinensis gracillimus  $10.95 GL  Zones 5 - 9
Fine textured clumps of silvery green. Height 6 feet.
Miscanthus sinensis 'Little Kitten'  $10.95 GL  Zones 5 - 9
Itsy bitsy clumps… a choice, but slow growing selection less than knee high, of fine silvery blades. Our plants are divisions of the originator's stock. An ideal pick for limited space areas, or rockeries. Height 15 -22 inches.
Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light'  $10.95 GL  Zones 5 - 9
This is our favorite Miscanthus. Totally stunning, the tall clumps appear like a ghostly white apparition viewed from a distance. On closer examination, the very narrow blades are nearly white, with a fine line of green running down the center. Outstanding! Height 5 - 6 feet.
Miscanthus sinensis ‘Purpurascens’ (Flame Grass) $10.95 GL  Zones 4 – 9
Flame Grass ignites in fall with electric tones of orange, a stunning contrast to the fluffy white plumes.  Height 3 – 4 feet.
Miscanthus sinensis 'Strictus'  $10.95 GL  Zones 5 - 9
This exotic looking grass has the rarest type of variegation….horizontal 'banding' of gold up and down the long, upright, green leaf blades. A beauty with a tropical-like splendor……we surround our clumps with elephant ears, coleus and lantana. Height 6 - 7 feet.

MUHLENBERGIA (Mist Grass/ Muhlygrass)   Full sun / Deer resistant
Muhly grasses are tough, heat loving, southern U.S. natives. They make unusual, beautiful annuals grown in the north, where they are not entirely winter hardy, and are lovely in containers, too. They prefer drier conditions, well drained.
Muhlenbergia capillaris (Purple Haze Grass)  $10.95 GL  Zones 6 - 10
Spectacular!…hazy pink clouds of inflorescence cover the needle-fine textured mounds in the fall, creating swooning spells and unbridled plant lust. This southern U.S. native requires a long, hot growing season to offer up its magnificent autumn show….in its northern most range (Zone 6, maybe Zone 5b), grow it against a warm foundation wall, or other similar 'hot spot' to induce bloom before frost time. Height 30 inches.

PANICUM (Switch Grass)    Full sun / Deer resistant
These are tough prairie natives--- warm season grasses--- that are widely adaptable. They have an elegant, upright habit, many with soothing glaucous tones. Switch grasses provide important cover for birds and make a spectacular, naturalized groundcover when planted in groups. Likewise, they are sophisticated background plants in contemporary or traditional flower and perennial beds. Easily grown in many soil types and drought tolerant once established. The plumes are lovely and unusual in cut flower arrangements, fresh or dried.
Panicum virgatum 'Dallas Blue' $10.95 GL  Zones 4 - 9
'Dallas Blue' offers a fuller, more coarse-textured look, with powdery blue leaf blades that mature into dense, full clumps, capped in autumn by wispy mauve panicles….a fetching color duo. Height 5 feet.
NEW! Panicum virgatum ‘Prairie Fire’ (Red Switch Grass) $12.95 GL Zones 4–9
This new cultivar of Red Switch Grass is noted for its ability to ‘color up’ in early summer, unlike previous hybrids that are noted for late summer and fall brilliance. ‘Prairie Fire’ starts its metamorphasis in early summer, with sturdy, upright stems and leaf blades of blue-green that morph into deep wine red. Delicate rosy panicles grace the clumps in late summer and autumn. Height 4 – 5 feet.
Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah' $10.95 GL Zones 4 - 9
A compact selection---our shortest Switch Grass---with stunning red-hued leaf blades that glow in the sun like no other Panicum. Resembles a Japanese Blood Grass on steroids! Height 3 feet.

PENNISETUM   Full sun to light shade / Deer resistant
I have been growing Fountain Grass as long as I have been gardening…its image pops up in my mind whenever I need an irresistible texture contrast in my beds. This is a grass with four season interest. In spring and early summer I love the fine textured compact clumps, and in late summer and fall I use the 'fountain' of flowers (plumes) in fresh and dried arrangements.
Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Little Bunny'  $8.95 GL  Zones 5 - 9
The most dwarf fountain grass. Petite, tight mounds of needle-thin green blades, and a flurry of silvery white, mini plumes. Height 10 inches.
Pennisetum orientale ‘Karley Rose’   $9.95 GL  Zones 5 – 9
Gorgeous, smoky-rose plumes mid to late summer. Height 3 feet.