Pink Muhly Grass
Muhlenbergia capillaris
Turns cotton-candy pink as the season ends and holds that form till spring cleanup, 2–3 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
Arkansas · Zones 6–8
Native Ornamental Grasses in Arkansas
Native grasses and sedges that bring movement, winter structure, and bird seed — the matrix that ties a planting together. For Arkansas, the right natives are shaped by Ozark Highlands & Mississippi Alluvial Plain and a humid subtropical climate. Every species below, from Pink Muhly Grass and Blue Grama to the rest of the list, is genuinely native to Arkansas and the wider flora of the Southeast and hardy through zones 6–8. 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
9 native species for Arkansas
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 6–8 · see this collection in other states.
Blue Grama
Bouteloua gracilis
A grass for movement and bird seed, cold-hardy to zone 3.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 8–20 in
- Blooms Jun–Aug
Sideoats Grama
Bouteloua curtipendula
A 1.5–2.5 ft-tall native grass that knits the bed together and feeds seed-eaters.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Indian Grass
Sorghastrum nutans
A native grass that glows bronze-gold plumes and stands through winter, 4–7 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
Catches the low autumn light, turning blue-green to copper and standing 2–4 ft tall right through the snow.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Fall color
Pennsylvania Sedge
Carex pensylvanica
A native grass at 6–12 in tall — movement, structure, and seed for birds.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 6–12 in
- Foliage
Big Bluestem
Andropogon gerardii
Movement in summer, bronze-purple seed heads color in fall — a native grass that holds all winter, for sand, clay, and loam ground.
- Full sun
- Dry to wet
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
Prairie Dropseed
Sporobolus heterolepis
A grass for structure and bird seed, turning fine emerald to amber and standing 2–3 ft tall through the cold.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Fall color
Switchgrass
Panicum virgatum
A native grass that glows airy pink-gold panicles and stands through winter, 3–6 ft tall.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 3–6 ft
- Fall color
Sourcing
Where to find these in Arkansas
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.