Great Ornamental Grasses to Grow with Your Favorite Dahlias

Best Dahlia Companions, Companion Planting

Best grasses for Dahlias, Dahlia companion plants, companion planting, Ornamental Grasses

Fabulous planting partners for dahlias, ornamental grasses help create incredibly beautiful planting combinations. In contrast with dahlias which boldly inject bright colors and broad-petalled flowers in the garden, grasses contribute their beauty more subtly through their transparency, luminosity, texture, and seasonal changes.

Grasses balance the super-saturated colors of the dahlias with their subtle tones ranging from all shades of greens to rosy pink, tan, fawn, gold, orange, or burgundy in fall.
Grasses also add sound and movement. Extremely mobile when caressed by the summer breeze, their graceful moves are accompanied by the soothing sound of the wind through their stalks and flowers, adding vibrancy and resonance to the landscape.
Grasses become incredibly magnificent when backlit by the sun as they glow and radiate with light reflected from their translucent stems, leaves, or flowers.
Grasses provide year-round interest and request minimum care. Endlessly versatile, grasses can be used in a myriad of ways when combined with your dahlias – whatever scenario, they always interplay with grace and majesty and add a ‘Wow’ dimension to your plantings.

Guide Information

Hardiness	8 - 11
Heat Zones	1 - 11
Climate Zones	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Plant Type	Bulbs, Perennials
Genus	Dahlia
Exposure	Full Sun
Season of Interest	Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall
Maintenance	Average
Water Needs	Average
Soil Type	Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pH	Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage	Moist but Well-Drained
Characteristics	Cut Flowers, Showy
Landscaping Ideas	Beds And Borders, Patio And Containers
Garden Styles	City and Courtyard, Cutting Garden, Informal and Cottage

Best Ornamental Grasses to grow with your Dahlias

Anemanthele lessoniana (New Zealand Wind Grass)

Anemanthele lessoniana, also known as Stipa arundinacea or Pheasant’s Tail Grass, is a gorgeous, fast-growing, and tough ornamental grass beloved by gardeners and landscape designers. Its arching, dark green, thread-like leaves sway gracefully, turning into attractive shades of copper, gold, and bronze in fall and winter. With airy, rosy flowers in summer that transition to bronze in fall, this semi-evergreen grass adds year-round interest. It is drought and deer tolerant, requiring minimal care, and remains pest and disease-free. A stunning addition to any garden.

Hardiness	8 - 10
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Seasons	Spring (Early, Mid, Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall, Winter
Height	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)

Calamagrostis brachytricha (Reed Grass)

Reed Grass (Calamagrostis brachytricha) is a magnificent and unique ornamental grass that captivates with its tall, silver-gray plumes. Glistening in the morning dew, the arrow-like flower heads turn from gold to light tan as they mature, adding beauty and texture to the garden. This slowly-spreading perennial grass is a favorite among gardeners seeking stunning vertical elements.

Hardiness	4 - 9
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Seasons	Spring (Early, Mid, Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall, Winter
Height	3' - 4' (90cm - 120cm)

Cortaderia selloana ‘Pumila’ (Pampas Grass)

Cortaderia selloana ‘Pumila’ is a compact Pampas Grass that is perfect for mid-sized gardens. Quite showy, this South American native features magnificent, dense tussocks of arching, narrow gray-green leaves that are gracefully topped from late summer to mid-winter by huge, silky, creamy-white plumes. Tough as nails and requiring very little care, this showy perennial, evergreen grass is among the most cold-hardy pampa grasses. Typically grows up to 4-6 feet tall (120-180 cm) and spreads 3-4 feet wide (90-120 cm)

Hardiness	6 - 10
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Summer (Late), Fall, Winter
Height	4' - 6' (120cm - 180cm)

Deschampsia cespitosa (Tufted Hair Grass)

Deschampsia cespitosa (Tufted Hair Grass) is a versatile ornamental grass that thrives in partially shaded areas. Its dense tussock of dark green leaves adds texture to the landscape. In early summer, graceful feathery panicles of purplish-green to tawny flowers sway on arching stems, creating a beautiful display that lasts well into winter. This grass is particularly stunning when backlit by the sun.

Hardiness	4 - 9
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall, Winter
Height	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)

Hordeum jubatum (Foxtail Barley)

A very showy and attractive Ornamental Grass, Hordeum jubatum, commonly known as Foxtail Barley, features clumps of arching leaves, with distinctive feathery flower spikes that are green flushed with pale pink or purple and fade to light tan as they mature. Bending downward as if nodding off to sleep, these long silky tufted flowers resemble the tails of red foxes. They are on display from late spring until midsummer and last well in fresh or dried arrangements.

Hardiness	4 - 10
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Spring (Late), Summer (Early, Mid)
Height	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)

Molinia caerulea subsp. arundinacea (Moor Grass)

Purple Moor Grass (Molinia caerulea subsp. arundinacea) is an exquisite ornamental grass. Its arching thread-like leaves and delicate flower spikes create a graceful display. With foliage transitioning from green to purplish-brown to golden shades, it provides long-lasting interest from summer to fall. Tolerant of wet soil, low maintenance, and deer resistant.

Hardiness	5 - 8
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Seasons	Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall
Height	4' - 8' (120cm - 240cm)

Panicum virgatum ‘Cloud Nine’ (Switch Grass)

One of the tallest switch grasses, Panicum virgatum ‘Cloud Nine’ forms an erect-stemmed and narrow clump of glaucous blue foliage in spring, which gets topped in mid to late summer with a profusion of finely-textured, airy golden flower panicles which hover over the foliage like an airy cloud. They persist well into fall before eventually turning beige, while the foliage turns a lovely dark golden shade in fall.

Hardiness	5 - 9
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Seasons	Summer (Mid, Late), Fall, Winter
Height	5' - 7' (150cm - 210cm)

Pennisetum alopecuroides (Fountain Grass)

Pennisetum alopecuroides, or Fountain Grass, native to Asia and Australia, adds beauty and grace to gardens with its cascading foliage that rustles in the wind. This cold-hardy grass requires minimal care and provides nonstop drama. Its rounded mounds of dark green foliage turn golden yellow or beige in fall. In early summer to early fall, soft and fluffy, reddish-purple to coppery-tan bottlebrush-like flowers top the foliage on arching stems. They are perfect for fresh and dried arrangements.

Hardiness	6 - 9
Exposure	Full Sun, Partial Sun
Seasons	Spring (Early, Mid, Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall, Winter
Height	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)

Pennisetum orientale ‘Karley Rose’ (Oriental Fountain Grass)

Pennisetum orientale ‘Karley Rose,’ or Oriental Fountain Grass, adds animation to plantings with its nodding, smoky rose-purple fuzzy flowers. Its showy spikes rise above the deep green foliage, arching gracefully. The long blooming season extends into fall, with the foliage turning warm golden-tan and remaining attractive through winter. A beautiful and graceful ornamental grass.

Hardiness	5 - 9
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall, Winter
Height	2' - 3' (60cm - 90cm)

Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’ (Purple Fountain Grass)

With its low maintenance and stunning features, Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’ is a beloved choice for gardeners. The rich burgundy foliage and long, arching crimson plumes create a striking contrast with surrounding plants. Growing in rounded mounds, it is drought-tolerant and deer-resistant.

Hardiness	9 - 11
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Summer (Mid, Late), Fall
Height	3' - 5' (90cm - 150cm)

Pennisetum villosum (Feathertop Grass)

Extremely drought tolerant, Feathertop Grass (Pennisetum villosum) is among the most beautiful and graceful ornamental grasses with its large, fluffy, bright white flower plumes cascading down the light green foliage that rustles in the wind. While a perennial grass, it is tender and often grown as an annual. Self-seeder, it will multiply if you do not cut off the flowers before the seeds ripen in the fall

Hardiness	8 - 10
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Summer (Mid, Late), Fall
Height	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)

Stipa tenuissima (Mexican Feather Grass)

Stipa tenuissima (Mexican Feather Grass) is a beloved ornamental grass known for its silky texture, glowing seedheads, and effortless drought tolerance. Perfect for borders, meadows, xeriscapes, and containers, it brings elegance, motion, and year-round charm to any landscape with remarkably little maintenance.

Hardiness	7 - 10
Exposure	Full Sun
Seasons	Spring (Late), Summer (Early, Mid, Late), Fall
Height	1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm)

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While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.