Choose salt-tolerant grasses for coastal gardening.
Much of Southern California falls into zones 9a through 9b on the U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone map. Average annual low temperatures in this region fall to 20 degrees Fahrenheit. If you want to plant ornamental grasses in your Southern California landscape, choose species hardy to your zone. Before choosing grasses, determine your garden's specific soil, moisture and sunlight conditions. Does this Spark an idea?
For Coastal Areas
Gardens near the Pacific Ocean may have saline soil due to salt spray. Salt can also build up on plant foliage, causing damage. The gulf muhly (Muhlenbergia capillaries) tolerates heat, salt and drought, making it a good choice for coastal gardens. Hardy in zones 6 to 9, this 3-foot-tall grass produces pink, purple, red to gray inflorescences and has lustrous green foliage. Plant in sun to light shade and well-drained to sandy soil.
Heavy Metal blue switch grass (Panicum virgatum "Heavy Metal") also tolerates salt and drought. This upright grass grows to 5 feet tall and has silver-blue, sturdy foliage. Heavy Metal blue switch grass is hardy in zones 4 to 9 and prefers full sun exposures.
Shade-Tolerant
Southern California is famous for its sunshine, but every garden has its shady spots. Choose shade-tolerant grasses for sites that don't have full sun exposure. Fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides) is hardy in zones 5 to 9. This grass grows from 2 to 4 feet tall in an upright, open mounded shape. From midsummer through autumn, fountain grasses produce a purple to white inflorescence atop a tall stem. Plant in sun to partial shade in well-drained, rich soil.
The compact white-striped bamboo (Pleiodlastus variegates) is hardy in zones 5 to 9. This spreading bamboo can be used as a ground cover or planted in containers. It grows from 8 to 24 inches tall and has attractive, white-striped foliage. Plant this drought-tolerant bamboo in sun to partial shade.
For Moist Sites
Many grasses need well-drained soils to thrive, but some tolerate or even prefer wetter sites. Job's tears (Coix lacryma-jobi) grows as an annual in zone 9. This bright green, lush grass produces gray to black seeds on tall stems and grows from 3 to 4 feet tall. Plant in sun to partial shade and moist to wet soil.
The tiny Japanese sweet flag (Acorus gramineus) only grows between 6 and 12 inches tall. Hardy in zones 7 to 9, Japanese sweet flag prefers partial shade to sun and moist or even damp soil. This grass has aromatic, shiny foliage.
Adaptable Grasses
Some grasses thrive in a variety of conditions. Feather reed grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora) is hardy in zones 4 to 9 and prefers sites in sun to light shade. This grass tolerates clay, heavy, dry and wet soils. Feather reed grass has thin, bright green foliage and produces feathery purple to cream inflorescences from summer through winter. They grow to 4 feet tall.
The giant miscanthus (Miscanthus floridulus) grows from 8 to 10 feet tall and is hardy in zones 5 through 9. This grass has broad foliage that forms a large, rounded clump. The giant miscanthus thrives in full sun and tolerates dry to wet soil conditions.
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