Asked on Jun 27, 2014

What kind of ornamental grass is this?

SouthernBelle
by SouthernBelle
I got an amazing deal of some planters, only $8! But they didn't have any tags, telling what plants are in them, and how to care for them. I included a pic of one of the planters, showing how it looked when I bought it. I actually took 3 of them apart, and planted 4 hanging baskets with the plants. They all had this tall grass-like plant in the middle, and it has pretty big root system. I do like these grasses, but I'd love to know a little more about it, before I plant it. Thanks for any help!
the grass is in the middle
anyone familiar with this?
  33 answers
  • Donna Byram Donna Byram on Jun 28, 2014
    Looks sort of like Moor grass of some kind. http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/garden/07232.html
  • Dolly Smith Dolly Smith on Jun 28, 2014
    It looks like chives to me. Is it hallow and when you brake it does it smell like mild onion?
  • Michelle Michelle on Jun 28, 2014
    I thought chives as well...
  • MARY ANN MARY ANN on Jun 28, 2014
    I agree with Dolly & Michelle. Looks like chives.
  • Donna Lawless Donna Lawless on Jun 28, 2014
    Me too. First thought right away.
  • Leamorris Leamorris on Jun 28, 2014
    it's chives, good with scrambled egg's
  • Sandie Sandie on Jun 28, 2014
    Chives. Best thing to do is, break one and see if it smells like onion. If not, go to your local nursery, (not the big box ones) and they may be able to help. You could also go on line, to see if there are local Master Gardeners around. They should be able to help. Good luck. Let us know.
  • Martha S Martha S on Jun 28, 2014
    I agree with all of the above, looks like chives, great chopped, mixed in sour cream for baked potatoes :)
  • Karen Maison Karen Maison on Jun 28, 2014
    If it is tubular, it probably is chives. You can tell if you cut one and it smells like onion.
  • Lynn Lynn on Jun 28, 2014
    Could it be Monkey Grass? My chives are a little more fragile looking. Similar looking however. Does it smell like chives when you brreak a stem?
  • Therese Ryan-Haas Therese Ryan-Haas on Jun 28, 2014
    Please, Please find out for sure what it is before eating it. I have a hard time believing someone would put perennial chive in with annuals. Unless they had other herbs in it to make a herb planter, Do take it to a local nursery. ( the one you bought it at might be best if they planted it.). But even then It might be hard to ID because there are sooooo many types of ornamental grass out there. My guess from what you have there. (Without seed heads and a better closeup of growth) would start with Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln' - Dwarf Fountain Grass, Miscanthus sinensis 'Yaku Jima' - Dwarf Maiden Grass, Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light' - Morning Light Maiden Grass, Sesleria albicans - Balkans Moor Grass, Helictotrichon sempervirens - Blue Oat Grass, Festuca glauca 'Elijah Blue' - Elijah's Blue Fescue, Here is a chart to help narrow it down but you need to let it grow some more. http://www.bluestem.ca/grass-comparison-chart.htm
  • Sherry Perleth Sherry Perleth on Jun 28, 2014
    It could be Juncus grass. Soft Rush. They have been putting lots in flower pot, and mixed annuals. Try looking it up. I don't know any green house that put chives in a annual pot. I just got some Juncus yesterday for a $1. in 4 inch pot. They had a lot.
  • Michelle Eliker Michelle Eliker on Jun 28, 2014
    It looks like a type of rush or Juncus. They look like grasses and have little brown tufts at the end (the flowers). They like to be moist. They stay in clumps but can spread by seed.
  • SouthernBelle SouthernBelle on Jun 28, 2014
    Thanks so much for all the answers! I love how helpful you guys are, I really do. Hmm, I will go out and break it and see if it smells like onion, but I would be surprised if it is chive too, as everything else in the planter is are annuals.There is a lot of new little baby sprouts at the base of some of the plants (I have 4 all together) I will definitely google all these responses and let you guys know, when I find out for sure. :)
  • Gay Gay on Jun 28, 2014
    Monkey Grass
  • BONNIE J BONNIE J on Jun 28, 2014
    Chives get beautiful blue flowers in spring. Definitely not Blue Fescue!
  • BONNIE J BONNIE J on Jun 28, 2014
    I WONDER--SHOULD AN ANNUAL HAVE SUCH LONG ROOTS? I THOT PERRENIALS DO....
  • Toni Mountaintes-Sabus Toni Mountaintes-Sabus on Jun 28, 2014
    It looks like chives, could also be Mondo grass which grows in mounds
  • MahtaMouse MahtaMouse on Jun 28, 2014
    I agree, it looks like chives. One of mine get a pretty PINK flower as well. There are many different varieties (flavors) of chives... I have onion-y chives (BLUE flowers) AND I have *garlic* flavored chives (PINK flowers).
  • Evelyn McMullen Evelyn McMullen on Jun 28, 2014
    Liorope (nickname Monkey Grass) or mondo grass (more delicate)
  • MahtaMouse MahtaMouse on Jun 28, 2014
    Bonnie... chives are a perennial. Mine come back every year and yes, do have long roots. My onion chives have blue flowers and my garlic flavored chives have pink flowers. I once had lemon flavored chives; IF I recall, the flowers were white?? Either way, it's not uncommon to mix herbs, etc. in with flowers.
  • MaeGatineau MaeGatineau on Jun 28, 2014
    go to a garden centre to make sure
  • Bonnie Spielman Bonnie Spielman on Jun 29, 2014
    Looks like chives to me. They might put in a perennial so that when the annuals died you would still have a plant.
  • Pamela Knott Pamela Knott on Jun 29, 2014
    Someone planted a few chives in our neighborhood years ago. Now they are EVERYWHERE and they do get to growing in big clumps like that. My first thought was chives. I'd smell them, not eat them!
    • See 2 previous
    • BONNIE J BONNIE J on Oct 07, 2014
      @Pamela Knott OR ADMIRE THEM--LIKE I DO!
  • SouthernBelle SouthernBelle on Jun 29, 2014
    Well, it does not have an onion-y smell at all. I planted 3 of them in my flower bed today. I look forward to seeing when/if it blooms.
  • Dirturchin Dirturchin on Jun 30, 2014
    If the leaves are cylinder, it would be from the Alium/Onion family. They would have bulbs underground. If it is flat leaf, it would be from the Liriope family. It should have tubers. If the leaf is a V shape with a slight white center vein, it could be a Star of Bethlehem. (Also with underground bulbs)
  • Kaaren Huffaker Kaaren Huffaker on Jun 30, 2014
    Monkey grass
  • Debbie Luttrell Debbie Luttrell on Jul 01, 2014
    That is a form of juncus, which is an ornamental non-edible grass. They do look somewhat like chives, but the blades are much tougher, and do not have the oniony smell associated with chives. It might be Blue Arrow juncus. Do an image search- you'll see what I mean. I worked i garden centers and greenhouses for decades. We started using juncus regularly in mixed pots about 15 years back.
  • Lynn Lynn on Jul 02, 2014
    Really interesting responses, including things I never thought of (but did know) such as the shape of the spikes, flat or round, and to smell/taste etc. I have grown so used to knowing what is in my yard, that my discernment has gotten rusty! Thanks for all the subconscious clues I'd forgotten i had! ha
  • Linda Forest Linda Forest on Jul 02, 2014
    Yes I agree with chives. I have grown them for many years!
  • Ruby Ruby on Jul 10, 2014
    .
  • Jane R. Jane R. on Oct 06, 2014
    If you like the look of it then plant it where you want. It will multiply so be sure to find a place for it if you don't want it spreading. I looks a lot like Monkey grass, not like chives. To know for sure what it is I'd take some to a nursery. They can tell you. Be sure not to eat any of it for now.
  • Jerilynn Pierce Jerilynn Pierce on Nov 10, 2014
    Looks like monkey grass.