Broadleaved Evergreen : Conifers : Deciduous Shrubs : Ornamental Shade Trees : Perennials and Ferns : Grasses and Bamboos : Groundcovers : Vines and Creepers : Water Plants |
GRASSES
ALOPECURUS (Gramineae)
Alopecurus pratensis 'Aureus'
H:to 15cm Z:5
L/U: grouping
Gold-leaved perennial grass with pale-green flower spikelets in summer,
often tinged purple.
ARUNDO (Gramineae)
(Giant Reed)
Arundo donax
H:to 6m Z:6
L/U: solitary or grouping
Hardy, wide-spreading, Bamboo-like grass with grey-green,
slightly-scabrous, 60cm long, 6cm wide leaves. Red-tinged, 60cm long flower panicles become silvery-grey,
blooming in fall. Prefers moist,
rich soil. (Southern China)
Arundo donax 'Variegata'
H:1-4m Z:6
L/U: solitary or grouping
Creamy-yellow to white variegated leaves, stripes most pronounced in
spring. Completely dormant in cold
climates. Requires abundant
moisture. Used to make paper and
artificial silk. (Southern China)
BRIZA (Gramineae)
Briza media
(Quaking Grass)
L/U: solitary or mass planting
H:40-60cm Z:5
Small, cool-season, evergreen grass with showy green, heart-shaped
flowers from April-June, turning golden with maturity and rising above the
foliage. Medium green leaves are
soft to the touch and form dense clumps.
CALAMAGROSTIS
(Gramineae)
Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster'
H:to 1.5m Z:5
L/U: solitary or grouping
Persistent, easily-grown natural hybrid with many ornamental features
throughout the year. Loose,
fan-like, buff flower panicles in June become yellow after flowering. In fall the ripe panicles re-open and
persist into winter.
CAREX (Cyperaceae)
Carex glauca (Blue
Sedge)
H:to 60cm Z:5
L/U: grouping
Adaptable, clumping, silver-blue sedge.
Carex morrowii aureovariegata 'Old Gold'
(Variegated Japanese Sedge)
H:45-60cm Z:5
L/U: grouping
Clumping, evergreen grass with creamy-yellow, striped-centered leaves
and lush, arching foliage, appearing golden-yellow in the garden. Tall, graceful leaves arch towards the
ground, covering the brownish flower spikes. Prefers partial shade in moist, gravelly, well-drained
soil. (Japan)
CORTADERIA
(Gramineae)
Cortaderia selloana
(Pampas Grass)
H:2-3m Z:7
L/U: solitary or grouping
Large, ornamental, flowering grass forms a dense clump of sharp-edged,
grey-green foliage. Flower
panicles on sturdy stalks extend beyond the foliage. Plumes are silky at first, becoming fluffy with
maturity. Colour varies from
silvery-white to creamy-white to pinkish tones in late July-August, persisting
into early-winter. Prefers full
sun in fertile, well drained soil.
DESCHAMPSIA (Gramineae)
Deschampsia caespitosa (Tufted Hairgrass)
H:1m Z:3
L/U: grouping
Clumps of tidy, pleated foliage stay evergreen in warmer areas. Highlighted by loose, airy,
golden-white flower panicles which emerge silky-green in May.
Deschampsia caespitosa 'Bronzeschleier'
(Bronze Veil Tufted Hairgrass)
H:1m Z:3
L/U: grouping
Similar to species with bronze-yellow flowers. Best in milder climates.
ELYMUS (Gramineae)
(Lyme Grass)
Elymus arenarius 'Glaucus' (Blue Lyme Grass)
H:30-90cm Z:4
L/U: grouping
Deciduous, spreading grass with metallic-blue, 30-45cm long foliage on
stout, thick stems. Inconspicuous
flowers bloom sporadically from June-August, emerging bluish-grey, turning
wheat-colour with age.
FESTUCA
(Gramineae)
Festuca ovina 'Glauca' (syn. F. cinerea)
(Blue Fescue)
H:20-30cm Z:5
L/U: ground cover or accent
Clumping, cool season, evergreen grass with soft, fine-texture,
greenish-blue, somewhat weeping foliage.
Flowers emerge bluish-purple in May-June, becoming golden as they
mature, greyish at maturity.
HELICTOTRICHON
(Gramineae)
Helictotrichon sempervirens (Blue Oat Grass)
H:30-50cm Z:4
L/U: grouping
Clumping evergreen grass noted for its bright-blue foliage and showy
flowers.
IMPERATA
(Gramineae)
Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra'
(Japanese Blood Grass)
H:50cm Z:6
L/U: grouping
Translucent, upright foliage forming slowly spreading colonies. Vertical leaves emerge bright-green
with wine-red, stained tips in the spring, becoming increasingly red as the
season progresses, blood red by fall, copper coloured in winter. Prefers moist soil in full sun. (Japan)
MISCANTHUS
(Gramineae)
Miscanthus floridulus
(Giant Chinese Silver Grass)
H:2-4m Z:5
L/U: solitary or grouping
Large, clump-forming perennial with linear, arching leaves to 90cm
long. Flowers in 30cm long spikes.
Miscanthus sinensis 'Purpurascens' (Flame Grass)
H:0.9-1.2m Z:5
L/U: solitary or grouping
A handsome, reddish-purple, compact grass with brilliant, orange-red
fall colour.
Miscanthus sinensis 'Strictus' (Porcupine Grass)
H:1m Z:5
L/U: solitary or grouping
Clumping grass with bright-yellow, upward-pointing, variegated,
porcupine-like foliage.
PENNISETUM
(Gramineae)
Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln'
(Dwarf Fountain Grass)
H:to 60cm Z:6
L/U: grouping
Early-blooming, dwarf cultivar with attractive, fluffy, buff, often
rosy-coloured flowers in 25cm tall spikes in early-September.
PHORMIUM (Agavaceae)
(Flax Lily)
Phormium tenax 'Atropurpureum'
(New Zealand Flax)
H:1-2m Z:7
L/U: solitary or grouping
Evergreen perennial with purple-bronze, sword-like, vertical leaves
from the base. Red flower stalks
stand above the foliage.
Phormium tenax 'Jack Spratt'
H:25-30cm Z:7
L/U: grouping
Small, clumping, burgundy-bronze, evergreen perennial with arching,
sword-like blades.
TYPHA (Typhaceae)
Typha minima
(Dwarf Japanese Cattail)
H:50-75cm Z:4 *O.C. 50cm (3)
L/U: grouping
Spreading plant with short, narrow leaves, yellow-brown in fall and showy,
reddish-brown, barrel-shaped flower spikes in May-June.
BAMBOO
ARUNDINARIA (Gramineae)
Arundinaria pygmaea
(syn Sasa pygmaea)
H:20-25cm Z:5
L/U: understories, shaded slopes
Hardy, dwarf bamboo forming a carpet of slender stems with 13cm long,
2cm wide leaves. (Japan)
FARGESIA
Fargesia nitida
H:3-4m / W:6-12m
L/U: solitary
Clump-forming grass with 5-8cm long leaves, distinguished by its
purple-flushed canes and elegant arching habit. Prefers partial shade.
(China)
PHYLLOSTACHYS (Gramineae)
Phyllostachys aurea
(Golden Bamboo)
H:2.5-3.5m Z:7
Somewhat clumping, stiffly-upright form with golden-green, 8-18cm long,
1-2cm wide leaves and dense, bright-green canes, maturing to pale-yellow,
crowding at the nodes at the base of each cane and swelling beneath each
node. (China)
Phyllostachys aureosulcata
(Yellow-Green Bamboo)
H:5-7m Z:5
Hardy, strongly-upright form with rough new canes, golden-yellow on the
flat side and dark-green, loose, and translucent leaves. (China)
Phyllostachys bambusoides (Giant Timber Bamboo)
H:10-20m Z:7
Impressively hardy, giant Bamboo with culms to 15cm diameter and leaves
to 20cm long, 1.5-3cm wide. Used
as construction material. (Central
Eastern China)
Phyllostachys bissetti (Bisset Bamboo)
H:7m Z:7
Relatively small-growing, hardy Phyllostachys which forms a dark, dense
canopy. (Zhejiang, Sichuan China)
Phyllostachys elegans
H:to 10m Z:7
A tall-growing Bamboo with 8-15cm long, 12-20mm wide leaves. (Eastern China)
Phyllostachys glauca
(Glaucous Bamboo)
H: to 12m Z:7
Hardy, tall-growing species adaptable to various soils. Green, 5-7cm wide culms become purplish
brown. (Eastern China)
Phyllostachys nigra
(Black Bamboo)
H:4-6m Z:7
Graceful, arching Bamboo with nodding shoots and attractive, dense
foliage. Shoots are green at
first, stems turn entirely black after the first summer. Young shoots edible in spring. A conspicuous, white ring can easily be
seen under each node. (China &
Japan)
Phyllostachys pubescens
H:20m Z:7
Running bamboo has culms to 15cm diameter, densely pubescent when
emerging. Leaves are relatively
small, 4-11cm long and 0.5-1.5cm wide.
(Eastern Central China)
Phyllostachys purpurata (syn. P. heteroclada)
(Solid Stem or Water Bamboo)
H:4-5m Z:7
Straight, tall bamboo with grey mature culms, and air canals in
rhizomes and roots allowing it to grow well in wet soils. Young shoots are edible. (Jiangsu,
Hunan China)
Phyllostachys rubromarginata
H:4-6m Z:8
Open form with broad leaves, erect culms. Pale-green internodes become coated with wax, turning grey
to yellowish-grey with age. Young
shoots are edible. (Zhejiang,
Guangxi China)
Phyllostachys vivax
(Viver's Bamboo)
H:to 15m Z:6
Hardy, tall-growing, timber Bamboo with arching tops, grey-green to
yellow-green, 4-8cm wide canes and dark-green, 9-18cm long, 1-1.5cm wide
leaves. Young shoots are edible.
(Eastern China)
SASA (Gramineae)
Sasa palmata 'Nebulosa' (Bambusa Palmata)
H:2-3m Z:7 *O.C. 1.20m (3)
Full, dense, weeping, vigorous Bamboo with large, green, 35cm long, 9cm
wide leaves on green, purple-blotched stems. Prefers full sun to partial shade. (Japan)
Sasa veitchii
(Silver Edged Sasa)
H:to 1m Z:7 *O.C. 1.00m (4)
L/U: understories, difficult sites
A species known for its cream-coloured leaf margins in winter. Differs from Arundinaria by its
solitary branches arising from each node and broader, oblong leaves. (Japan)
SHIBATAEA (Gramineae)
Shibataea chinensis (Gooseplum
Bamboo)
H:60cm Z:8
Dwarf, running Bamboo with thin culms displaying glossy-green
foliage. Branches are equal in length
bearing one leaf at each tip..
(Southern China)
Broadleaved Evergreen : Conifers : Deciduous Shrubs : Ornamental Shade Trees : Perennials and Ferns : Grasses and Bamboos : Groundcovers : Vines and Creepers : Water Plants |
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