- Iowa was originally covered by miles of prairie grasses.Paul E Tessier/Photodisc/Getty Images
Before it was settled, with thousands of acres cultivated for corn, Iowa was covered with native prairie grasses. Because of this, ornamental grass is easy to grow in Iowa today. Many ornamental grasses used in Iowa are not native to the region, and can therefore become invasive. However, there are many beautiful native ornamental grasses to choose from. - Side-oats grama grass, or Bouteloua curtipendula, is the state grass of Texas, but is also native to Iowa. The grass reaches a height of 2 to 3 feet and grows in clumps. Its hardy flowers bloom from July to September, and grow in spikes along a central axis. Side-oats grama grass tolerates drought well, and likes to grow in full sunshine.
- Prairie dropseed, or Sporobolus heterolepis, is a long grass with narrow leaves that grow outward from the center of a mound. Its flowers are small and bright red, and both the flowers and the grain smell nice. Prairie dropseed is actually a food grain, having been used by the Kiowa tribe to make flour. It grows easily from seed, and thrives in dry, well-drained soil. It grows slowly and takes two to three years to get well established. Prairie dropseed's flowering season is short--from August to September.
- Northern sea oat, or Chasmanthium latifolium, grows in loose, upright clumps and reaches a height of 2 to 4 feet. It flowers between June and October, but is beautiful year-round, with or without flowers. Northern sea oat prefers shade or partial sun, and thrive in moist soil.
- Big bluestem, or Andropogon gerardii, is a very tall species of grass, reaching as much as 10 feet in height. The grass is sometimes known as "turkey foot," because the flowers have three claw-like protrusions. The grass is used as forage in pastures, and was one of the dominant prairie grasses in Iowa before the region was widely settled and cultivated. The stems become blue as they start to dry out in fall. Big bluestem prefers moist soil but can survive in dry soil.
- Little bluestem, or Schizachyrium scoparium, is a tall grass, ranging in height from 2 to 5 feet. Colors of this native grass vary, with some having a strong blue-red color. It grows in clumps and remains attractive as the seasons change. Little bluestem tolerates drought well and prefers to grow in full sunshine.
- Switchgrass, or Panicum virgatum, is a very tall grass, sometimes reaching 8 feet in height. It's often grown on wildlife refuge lands to provide protection for birds and other wildlife. Switchgrass grows in clumps and spreads slowly. It survives well in wet to dry conditions, but prefers full sunshine.
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