Indian Grass
Sorghastrum nutans
Where Maine meets the Northeast, summer texture, bronze-gold plumes autumn color, and winter standing presence on a 4–7 ft-tall native grass.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
Maine · Zones 3–6
Native Ornamental Grasses in Maine
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 Maine and the wider flora of the Northeast and hardy through zones 3–6 — proven performers for Maine's cool, short summers climate across Acadian forest & coastal lowlands, not a generic list. Local standouts include Indian Grass and Little Bluestem. 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
6 native species for Maine
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 3–6 · see this collection in other states.
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
Where Maine meets the Northeast, movement in summer, blue-green to copper color in fall — a native grass that holds all winter, spreading 1.5–2 ft.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Fall color
Prairie Dropseed
Sporobolus heterolepis
Where Maine meets the Northeast, 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
Pennsylvania Sedge
Carex pensylvanica
Where Maine meets the Northeast, a 6–12 in-tall native grass that knits the bed together and feeds seed-eaters.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 6–12 in
- Foliage
Switchgrass
Panicum virgatum
Where Maine meets the Northeast, a grass that earns its keep in fall and winter — airy pink-gold panicles color, 3–6 ft tall, seed for the birds.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 3–6 ft
- Fall color
Big Bluestem
Andropogon gerardii
Where Maine meets the Northeast, turns bronze-purple seed heads as the season ends and holds that form till spring cleanup, for sand, clay, and loam ground.
- Full sun
- Dry to wet
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
Sourcing
Where to find these in Maine
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.