Pink Muhly Grass
Muhlenbergia capillaris
A grass that earns its keep in fall and winter — cotton-candy pink color, 2–3 ft tall, seed for the birds.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Blooms Sep–Oct
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West Virginia · Zones 5–7
Native Ornamental Grasses in West Virginia
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 West Virginia and the wider flora of the Mid-Atlantic and hardy through zones 5–7 — proven performers for West Virginia's cool, humid, mountainous climate across Allegheny Mountains & Ridge-and-Valley, not a generic list. Local standouts include Pink Muhly Grass and Sideoats Grama. 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
8 native species for West Virginia
Each one native to your region and hardy in zones 5–7 · see this collection in other states.
Sideoats Grama
Bouteloua curtipendula
Soft motion in every breeze and seed for the birds, on a 1.5–2.5 ft-tall native grass.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Indian Grass
Sorghastrum nutans
A grass that earns its keep in fall and winter — bronze-gold plumes color, 4–7 ft tall, seed for the birds.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
Switchgrass
Panicum virgatum
Catches the low autumn light, turning airy pink-gold panicles and standing 3–6 ft tall right through the snow.
- Full–part sun
- Dry to wet
- 3–6 ft
- Fall color
Pennsylvania Sedge
Carex pensylvanica
Fills the gaps between the flowers with fine 6–12 in-tall texture, happy in rocky and loam soil.
- Part shade
- Dry–average
- 6–12 in
- Foliage
Big Bluestem
Andropogon gerardii
A grass for structure and bird seed, turning bronze-purple seed heads and standing 4–7 ft tall through the cold.
- Full sun
- Dry to wet
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
Warm-season grass turning blue-green to copper in fall and holding its form all winter, hardy in zones 3–9.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Fall color
Prairie Dropseed
Sporobolus heterolepis
A native grass that glows fine emerald to amber and stands through winter, 2–3 ft tall.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Fall color
Sourcing
Where to find these in West Virginia
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.