GRASSES

Ornamental grasses provide continuous color, stabilize banks, serve as low maintenance ground cover, and thrive in the sea salt air of the Outer Banks.

Beach grass growing on the dunes.

Beach Grass

Grows in Clusters to 3' tall

Perennial


Used to stabilize dunes.  Thrives on dry and salty, sandy, ocean front dunes. 

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Sea Oats have a large oat like frond at the tip of the grass. These are planted on the dunes.

Sea Oats

Height: 3-6' 

Perennial 


Heat, drought, and salt tolerant. 

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Pampas Grass has a yellowish frond at the top of the grass.

Pampas Grass

Height: Grows up to 6' to 12'

Perennial


Very popular landscape plant on the Outer Banks. Blooms late Summer with white or pink flowers that last through fall. Requires full sun and well-drained soil. Fast growing and should be cut back in late winter to control size. Serrated leaves can injure skin.

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Weeping grass growing in the dunes.
Purple hardy fountain grass growing in a garden bed.
Giant reed growing and looks like a corn stalk.
Smaller ornamental grass with feathery wheat-like fronds.
Miscanthus grass (ornamental) in a garden bed with yellow day lillies
Miscanthus Grass in front of large bushes
Miscanthus grass planted in a garden bed in front of a house
Miscanthus Grass growing in a garden with yellow gold fronds.