Let’s talk grass, but not the lawn grasses.  You really do not want to get me started about lawns.

As a group, grasses belong to one of the largest and most economically and ecologically important families of plants. Botanists recognize over nine thousand species of grasses. Grass can be found on every continent except Antarctica and in a wide variety of habitats. Grasses that have been domesticated represent the world’s most important source of food.

Here are some of the characteristics that differentiate grasses from other plants.  They typically have long, narrow leaves. The stems may be either flattened or round, and they are often hollow. Grasses can grow very tall, like the tropical bamboos

, or they can grow low along the ground. The root systems of grasses are highly branched (fibrous) and do not have a well-defined central taproot. Many grasses spread horizontally through the production of underground stems known as rhizomes, or prostrate stems aboveground known as stolons. New grass shoots can emerge from either rhizomes or stolons.

Grasses have evolved in environments where drought, grazing by large herbivores, and fires were common. Unlike many plants, the growing points, known as meristems, on grasses are located near the base of the plant or below the ground, rather than at the tips of the plant. This characteristic allows grass plants to be grazed or burned without damage to the growing points. Additionally, grasses have large root systems that can store substantial food reserves that allow them to regrow quickly if aboveground parts are removed. These features also make grasses drought resistant and ideal for lawns that are repeatedly mowed. The large and fibrous root system of grasses has additional value for preventing soil erosion.

The flowers of grasses are typically small and inconspicuous. Grass flowers lack petals and other floral parts common in other plant families. Grass flowers are typically wind pollinated and therefore do not produce nectar, but they do produce pollen in large amounts. Grass flowers are so simple and small that they are sometimes referred to individually as florets. Florets are typically grouped or clustered along a central axis into units known as spikelets. The fruit of a grass flower is termed a caryopsis or a grain.

Grasses make up many of the most important crop species grown for human consumption. Three cereal crops—corn, wheat, and rice—are the most important source of calories in all diets throughout the world. Sugarcane is a grass that supplies most of the world’s sugar. Grasses, including several species of reed and bamboo, are used in many countries as construction material and as thatch for roofs, and the fiber from many grasses is used in making paper. Finally, native grasslands are critically important for so many native animal species.  Prairies offer significant benefits to humans by contributing to water quality and storing carbon. Prairie plants have large root systems, making what’s below ground much like an inverted rainforest. For instance, the roots of one native prairie grass, big bluestem, can extend more than 12 feet below the surface

Many gardeners use ornamental grasses for their landscape value.  In the South we use some of the more beautiful native grasses as well as other warm season grasses as accents in the garden.  Typically, these grasses grow during the warmer months and slow or go dormant with cooler weather. Taking center stage in many Southern gardens in fall are the beautiful plumes of various native and ornamental grasses. The graceful seed heads of a variety of species should be in full glory. Three of my favorite native grasses to use in the garden are inland sea oats, Gulf muhly and little bluestem.

Don’t be tempted to cut these down or divide them during fall-cleanup in your garden.  Leave them up for their visual impact in your garden and their swaying motion in the wind.  The seed heads offer food to seed eating bird. Many beneficial insects over-winter their eggs in grasses.              

Cut them back to the base in the spring, being careful not to cut new growth.  Spring is also the best time to divide or plant new grasses.

Of course, there are many grasses that are considered weeds.  Some are very detrimental to our food supply, but others are merely a nuisance to the gardener.  See my ‘Weeds to Know’ article to learn about one of the latter.