OhWhatAWednesday – Grasses Required For Winter Interest

I distinctly remember saying ‘Well, it’s your garden too, so buy it. I don’t have to like every plant we have.’ What was I thinking?!?!?!?! I was not so much thinking as being the voice of inexperience. I was the one looking at the scrawny pot of zebra grass, fully expecting it to turn into not much of anything. WRONG.

Fast forward a few years. I distinctly remember saying ‘There was an end of season sale on grasses. I bought 16 of them!!!!!!!!’ I may have been inexperienced when I made the first statement, but the 2nd one proves that I am teachable.

Grasses have become a mainstay in our yard. They offer unsurpassed winter interest, are beautiful whether snow covered or not, they are likely to offer shining seedheads on a sunny day, and billowing plumes on a windy day. The zebra grass we brought home many years ago has grown, as you can see below.

This plant has been divided many times, and it will be due for division again this year. An overly large planting of zebra grass will grow around its outside rim, and have an empty donut hole in the middle. Dividing grass is not a task for the weak. Mike attacks the roots with his saws-all. The only other care it needs is a severe haircut in the spring. Cut it down as far as you can in March. It’s grass. It will grow back. Like most grasses, zebra grass needs full sun.

Here is how ours looked back in 2003. You can see the distinctive stripes that make a name of zebra grass ever so appropriate. So when you see these sad looking scrawny plants at the nursery this spring, don’t hesitate. Buy one, or buy 16. It’s grass. It will grow back.

This is an installment in the OhWhatAWednesday series, where I dare to take on the task of finding something in my garden that looks good even during a Chicago winter.

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