Add Pizzazz to Your Garden with Ornamental Grasses Boasting Yellow Blooms

Ornamental grasses are gaining popularity in gardens for their graceful movement, unique textures, and ability to provide multi-season interest. While many ornamental grasses produce plumes in shades of purple, pink, white or silver, there are quite a few stunning varieties that flaunt cheerful yellow blooms.

These golden-hued grasses brighten up the landscape and pair beautifully with other flowering perennials and shrubs. They come in a range of sizes – from giant varieties that make an impressive vertical statement to petite types perfect for containers. Keep reading to discover some fantastic ornamental grasses that feature yellow flowers to add cheer and pizzazz to your outdoor space.

Big Bluestem

One of the showiest native ornamental grasses is Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii). This statuesque grass grows up to 6 feet tall and was dominant in the American tallgrass prairie. Big Bluestem forms handsome upright clumps of blue-green foliage that turns a rich coppery-bronze in fall. From mid-summer into fall, delicate fuzzy yellow flowers appear on tall stalks rising above the leaves.

Big Bluestem thrives in full sun and adapts well to various soil conditions. It can handle moisture but is also drought tolerant once established. Use this dramatic grass as a bold vertical accent in borders or naturalized areas Its striking form looks stunning when backlit by the evening sun

Little Bluestem

For a smaller ornamental grass with yellow blooms Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) is a great option. This versatile North American native grows 2 to 4 feet tall and displays incredible seasonal color. The green leaves take on shades of red orange and purple in fall. Little Bluestem produces fluffy silver seed heads that glisten in the winter sunlight.

From August to October, delicate fuzzy yellow flowers appear on slender stalks, adding a final burst of color before winter. Little Bluestem thrives in full sun and poor, dry soils. Use it in masses along borders, in meadow gardens or prairie-style landscapes. It also looks fantastic planted in drifts along a driveway or hillside.

Indian Grass

Another ornamental grass that hails from the American prairie is Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans). This upright grass reaches 3 to 5 feet tall and provides wonderous golden color in fall. Indian Grass starts off with attractive green foliage that gradually takes on vibrant yellow and orange hues in autumn.

From August into winter, the plant sends up large, airy panicles of shiny yellow flowers and seed heads. The flowers seem to dance in the slightest breeze. Indian Grass grows best in full sun and medium to wet soils but can adapt to short periods of drought. Use this easy-care grass in borders, native gardens or wildflower meadows.

Yellow Indiangrass

For a compact yellow-flowered ornamental grass, check out Yellow Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans ‘Sioux Blue’). This is a dwarf cultivar of Indian Grass that only grows about 2 feet tall. It forms a neat upright clump of slender green leaves with a bluish cast.

In late summer, delicate yellow flower spikes appear, eventually reaching 1 foot long. Yellow Indiangrass maintains its yellow and bluish-green color into fall and produces fluffy cream-colored seed heads that provide winter interest after the flowers fade. It thrives in full sun and dry to medium moisture. Use this petite grass along walkways, in containers or at the front of borders.

Siberian Lyme Grass

Siberian Lyme Grass (Leymus angustus) is an ornamental grass that offers incredibly dynamic foliage. The blue-green leaves emerge in spring and gradually turn bright yellow by summer. As fall approaches, the foliage transforms again to deeper orange and red shades. From July to September, upright stems bear wheat-like spiked flowers in a mix of purple, green and yellow.

This cold hardy grass can grow up to 5 feet tall but there are more compact cultivars available. Siberian Lyme Grass is easy to grow, tolerating drought, poor soils, high winds and coastal conditions. Plant it as an accent or in masses to create beautiful drifts of color that change with the seasons. It looks particularly striking when backlit by the sun.

Yellow Eyed Grass

For delicate, petite ornamental grass with yellow blooms, Yellow Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium californicum) is a top pick. This compact grass grows only 4 to 10 inches tall and forms tidy grassy clumps. The slender green leaves are topped with bright golden-yellow flowers in late spring and early summer.

The cheery yellow blooms have a purple or brown center eye, giving rise to the common name for this plant. Yellow Eyed Grass does best in part shade with consistent moisture but can tolerate some drought once established. Use this petite charmer along walkways, as a groundcover or in rock gardens and cottage style plantings.

Golden Oats

Golden Oats (Chasmanthium latifolium) offers gorgeous foliage and unique drooping seed heads. This ornamental grass grows 3 to 4 feet tall in loose upright clumps. The flat green leaves turn vibrant shades of orange and yellow in the fall. From late summer into winter, dangling oat-like flower spikelets emerge in a rich golden color, eventually fading to light tan.

Golden Oats thrives in part shade and moist soils. Plant it along woodland paths where its dangling foliage will flutter delicately in the breeze. It also looks beautiful mass planted on slopes or woodland gardens. Just beware – this grass can spread aggressively so it may need some containment.

Fiber Optic Grass

For delightful whimsical appeal, include Fiber Optic Grass (Isolepis cernua) in garden beds and containers. This annual grass forms a compact fountain-like mound reaching just 4 to 8 inches tall. The thin wiry stems give it a fuzzy, fluffy appearance.

Tiny bristly golden-yellow flower heads top the mounds in summer and fall. Fiber Optic Grass thrives in part sun with consistent moisture. Use it along walkways, to fill gaps between pavers or as a spiller in mixed containers. The fuzzy, mop-head texture pairs perfectly with bold-leaved plants like coleus or canna lilies.

Golden Hair Grass

Golden Hair Grass (Deschampsia cespitosa) is a cool-season perennial grass that delivers airy beauty. This ornamental grass forms neat, rounded clumps about 2 feet tall and wide. The fine-textured green foliage takes on gorgeous shades of orange, gold and red in the fall. From late spring into summer, delicate pyramidal panicles of yellow flowers rise above the leaves on slender stems, creating a soft, breezy effect.

Golden Hair Grass prefers partial shade and consistently moist soils. Its relatively fine texture allows it to blend easily into borders and woodland gardens. Try combining it with ferns, astilbes and other shade-loving perennials. It also looks beautiful planted near water features.

Yellow Pampas Grass

For a big, bold statement grass, Yellow Pampas Grass (Cortaderia selloana) is sure to turn heads. This giant grass rockets upwards by as much as 10 feet! In late summer, enormous feathery plumes appear in a mix of silvery white, pink and yellow. The huge size and showy plumes make this grass an instant focal point in the landscape.

However, Yellow Pampas Grass does require lots of space to grow properly and can self-sow aggressively. It also tends to collapse after a heavy snowfall or storm if not properly supported. Use this dramatic grass only if you have room for it to spread. Site it against a strong structure like a wall or trellis for support.

Golden Japanese Forest Grass

Golden Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’) offers graceful arching foliage and thrives in shade – a rare find for ornamental grasses. This variety sports leaves striped in green, yellow and white for a bright evergreen effect. Airy plumes of tiny greenish-yellow flowers appear in early fall but the colorful foliage is the main attraction.

Golden Japanese Forest Grass grows slowly to form an arching mound about 18 inches tall and wide. It prefers partial to full shade and consistently moist soil enriched with organic matter. Use it as an eye-catching accent in woodland gardens or shady borders. It combines beautifully with hostas, ferns and variegated shrubs like dogwoods.

Golden Variegated Ribbon Grass

For a beautiful striped effect, grow Golden Variegated Ribbon Grass (Phalaris arundinacea picta). This compact, clump-forming grass reaches about 12 to 18 inches tall and wide. The graceful arching leaves are striped with green, yellow, pink and white for a colorful variegated look all season long.

In early summer, pale green flower spikes appear but they are not the main ornamental feature. This grass grows best in part sun and evenly moist fertile soil. Use it in containers, borders or rain gardens. The bright variegated foliage