Pink Muhly Grass
Muhlenbergia capillaris
Turns cotton-candy pink as the season ends and holds that form till spring cleanup, cotton-candy pink flowers.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Maryland · Zones 6–8
Native Ornamental Grasses in Maryland
Native grasses and sedges that bring movement, winter structure, and bird seed — the matrix that ties a planting together. Every species here is genuinely native to Maryland and the wider flora of the Mid-Atlantic and hardy through zones 6–8 — proven performers for Maryland's humid, four-season climate across Piedmont & Chesapeake Coastal Plain, not a generic list. Local standouts include Pink Muhly Grass and Prairie Dropseed. Native grasses are the connective tissue of a natural planting, weaving between the flowers, holding the soil, and standing handsome through the whole winter. Warm-season grasses want full sun and lean soil and green up late, so don't give up on them in May. Cut everything back to a hand's height in late winter, just before new growth, and that's the entire job.
The plants
7 native species for Maryland
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 6–8 · see this collection in other states.
Prairie Dropseed
Sporobolus heterolepis
Movement in summer, fine emerald to amber color in fall — a native grass that holds all winter, good through zone 8.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Fall color
Pennsylvania Sedge
Carex pensylvanica
Fills the gaps between the flowers with fine 6–12 in-tall texture, spreading 1–2 ft.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 6–12 in
- Foliage
Switchgrass
Panicum virgatum
A grass for structure and bird seed, turning airy pink-gold panicles and standing 3–6 ft tall through the cold.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 3–6 ft
- Fall color
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
A grass for structure and bird seed, turning blue-green to copper and standing 2–4 ft tall through the cold.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Fall color
Big Bluestem
Andropogon gerardii
A native grass that glows bronze-purple seed heads and stands through winter, 4–7 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry to wet
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
Indian Grass
Sorghastrum nutans
A grass for structure and bird seed, turning bronze-gold plumes and standing 4–7 ft tall through the cold.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
Sourcing
Where to find these in Maryland
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.