by 505 Outside | Apr 1, 2026 | Grasses, Ornamental Grasses
Type: Deciduous
Exposure: Full Sun
Water Use: Low
Mature Size: 3’ H x 3’ W
Sand lovegrass is a wiry, fine bladed native grass tolerant of sandy well drained soils, full sun, drought, wind and heat. It forms a wide (2-3 feet), rounded mound. From late summer to autumn, seed heads appear on burgundy tinged panicles floating above the foliage. Airy and elegant, the seed heads are distinctive and lovely in dried arrangements. An individual showpiece, this grass looks great when planted in masses, too. A striking low maintenance plant in the landscape that reseeds well. Cut once a year in early spring, to about 2-3 inches high.
by 505 Outside | Sep 30, 2025 | Grasses, Ornamental Grasses
Type: Deciduous
Exposure: Full Sun
Water Use: Low
Mature Size: 4’ x 4’
Deer grass is a striking grey green ornamental grass. In late summer and early fall, it produces flower stems that fan out from the base. It looks beautiful by itself, with lower growing perennials and with groupings of grasses as one big mass planting. It can take periods of drought and is low maintenance, only needing a trim about 6” from the ground in late February.
by 505 Outside | Jul 30, 2025 | Grasses, Ornamental Grasses
Type: Deciduous
Exposure: Full Sun
Water Use: Low
Mature Size: 2’ x 2’
Alkali sacaton is an extremely drought tolerant warm season grass that adapts to most soils in our area, growing in sun or shade. It grows up to 2’ high and wide in tough clumps, putting out grey green leaves followed by graceful airy gold seedheads beginning in June. It’s perfect combined with bold plant forms as they contrast with its fine textured seed heads that create a soft glow at sunset. It’s a great grass to use for erosion control on large sites or to plant in a large group for a beautiful low water use grass meadow. Trim this grass down to about 4” of the ground in late winter.
by 505 Outside | Nov 1, 2022 | Grasses, Ornamental Grasses
Type: Ornamental grass
Exposure: Full sun
Water Use: Rainwater only
Size: 18” x 18”
A cool season grass native to the Western Plains, ricegrass shines in the desert-friendly garden, bunched in masses and intermingled with other prairie bunchgrasses. Its elegant sage green leaves turn ivory in the fall and are crowned by a cloud-like constellation of seed heads that capture sunlight and provide striking visual interest throughout the winter. High in nutritional value, it has been a prized food source among many indigenous peoples of the West.
by 505 Outside | May 1, 2021 | Grasses, Ornamental Grasses, Uncategorized
Exposure: Full Sun
Water: Low
Height and Spread: 14″ x 14″
Blooming Season: Fall
This bunchgrass is a warm season native grass used in reclamation plantings for erosion control in rural landscapes. It is recommended to seed with other prairie seed mixes because it is slow to establish. Once established it can withstand extreme temperature variations, drought and heavy traffic.
Photography Courtesy of Plants of the Southwest.
by 505 Outside | Oct 7, 2020 | Blog, Grasses, Ornamental Grasses
Exposure: Full Sun
Water: Medium
Height and Spread: H 4′ X W 2′
Blooming Season: Fall
Description:
Pink Flamingo is a native grass that is heat, cold, and drought resistant. During late summer into mid-fall, wonderful soft pink airy flower spikes appear. This desert friendly grass is ideal to plant in mass or narrow locations. Add this to your garden to lighten it up with a pop of color!
