Native Grasses, Sedges and Rushes and Native Grass, Sedge and Rush Cultivars:

ABOUT OUR NATIVE GRASSES:

Our Grasses category includes other graminoids that are superficially similar to true grasses, such as native sedges and native rushes. To make it easier to sort through our extensive list of native grasses for sale online, we further categorize some that are particularly showy as Ornamental Grasses, and those that are specialized to wet areas as Wetland Grasses.

NATIVE GRASSES FOR SALE:

Our store offers a large selection of native grasses for sale online as well as some native grasses cultivars that have been vetted to be environmentally sound. The majority of these grasses are available as plugs, which is the most economical way to buy live native plants. If you are looking for specimens or smaller quantities, we do have grasses for sale in nursery quarts and pints, and for the do-it-yourselfer we also sell native grasses seed.

THERE IS A NATIVE GRASS THAT WILL MEET YOUR NEEDS:

Following the adage that it is important to find the right plant for the right place, there is a native grass species for every growing condition there is. While true grasses dominate under full sun - or the brighter side of the light spectrum - and are for the mostpart warm season species, sedges are for the mostpart cool season species and provide some of the most reliable plant solutions for shade gardens and other low-light areas. There are native grasses that are drought tolerant, some that like it wet, and others that are adapted to every level of soil moisture in between. There are also grasses adapted to all soil types, from sandy soil to heavy clay. And, when it comes to erosion control, grasses are environmental powerhouses. Wetland grasses have evolved rhizomatous root systems that form dense mats that can withstand exceptional storm surges. Other grass species have evolved in mesic prairies and rely on astonishing deep root systems for water, and can stabilize soil to a depth of several feet.

NATIVE GRASSES ARE ESSENTIAL:

Grasses are so ubiquitous in the landscape that we scarcely pay attention to them. However they play a critical role in our environmental web and should be included in all garden designs. In a practical sense, they are low maintenance and among the most effective plants that can be used to keep weeds at bay. From a purely aesthetic point of view, they can be used as matrix plants to provide structure, texture, and a backdrop that will help your native perennials stand out. Mass plantings of native grass can be stunning and are sure to elicit a sense of grandeur and awe that might have been imprinted in our genetic make up since the dawn of our own species. Grasses are also among the best plants to use for year round interest. Many sedge species are evergreen or semi-evergreen, only requiring a late winter trim to maintain a well-kempt appearance. Many true grasses are cultivated for their showy floral sprays that are often followed by equally striking seed heads. As grasses go dormant during autumn, the drying foliage can take on hues ranging from discreet shades of beige, to fiery orange, bronze to black, and persist through winter. The year round interest of grasses is not lost on the wildlife either. They serve as host plants to many species of insects, some are attractive to pollinators, others are a winter food source for birds and small mammals, and most provide critical off-season shelter to our many species of bees and bumblebees.