Theodore Klein Plant Awards
Perennial Grasses
Below you’ll find the Perennial Grasses that have received the honor of “Theodore Klein Plant Award” in alphabetical order based on its Latin name.
Calamagrostis x acutiflora
Feather Reed Grass
‘Karl Foerster’
- Cold Hardiness: Zone 4-8
- Size: 6' x 2'
- Light Requirement: Partial to Full Sun
- Flowering Time: Summer, Fall
- Kentucky Native: No
- Year added to list: 2012
This selection has earned top honors across the garden world. In full sun, strikingly upright plants grow 5’-6’ tall and 2’ wide. The stunning flower/seed plumes are effective summer and fall and last well through the winter. Plant in full sun and any reasonable soil and this plant will reward for years to come.
Carex
‘Ice Dance’
- Cold Hardiness: Zone 5-8
- Size: 1' 3" x 3'
- Light Requirement:Full Sun to Full Shade
- Flowering Time: n/a
- Kentucky Native: No
- Year added to list: 2016
Outstanding evergreen groundcover that makes 15″-tall masses of broad, grass-like leaves edged in creamy white. Extremely vigorous and durable in sun and shade. Deer proof. Few pests. May be a bit too agressive for mixed planting with less vigorous perennials.
Carex oshimensis
Golden Sedge
'Everillo'
- Cold Hardiness: Zone 5-8
- Size: 2' x 2'
- Light Requirement: Full Sun to Full Shade
- Flowering Time: n/a
- Kentucky Native: No
- Year added to list: 2019
Arching, grass-like foliage mounds of bright yellow, this durable evergreen sedge works well in ground beds or containers. Brightest color in full sun. Fades to a still-effective yellow green in shady sites. Highly resistant to deer browse. One of the best performing sedges in Yew Dell’s trials
Hakonechloa macra
Japanese Forest Grass
'Aureola'
- Cold Hardiness: Zone 5-8
- Size: 18" x 18"
- Light Requirement: Full Sun to Full Shade
- Flowering Time: n/a
- Kentucky Native: No
- Year added to list: 2005
This wonderful grass forms graceful, arching masses of bright gold and green streaked foliage that pairs well with hostas, ferns and other shade garden plants.. Best in bright sun with adequate soil moisture and equally at home in light shade where the color will be a bit more subdued. Easy to grow.
‘All Gold’ is a very vigorous selection with leaves of all gold rather than the green/gold streaked foliage of ‘Aureola’
Hakonechloa macra
Japanese Forest Grass
‘All Gold’
- Cold Hardiness: Zone 5-8
- Size: 2' x 2'
- Light Requirement: Full Sun to Full Shade
- Flowering Time: Spring
- Kentucky Native: No
- Year added to list: 2020
Stunning mound of arching, fine textured foliage that works well as a single specimen or a mass planting. This selection has intense yellow foliage in full sun, fading to a bright yellow/green in the shade. It is the most vigorous of all the Hakonechloa cultivars on the market. Provide supplemental irrigation during dry spells in full sun situations
Ophiopogon umbraticola
Chinese Mondo Grass
'Sparkler'
- Cold Hardiness: Zone 5-9
- Size: 1' x 1'
- Light Requirement: Full Sun to Full Shade
- Flowering Time: Summer
- Kentucky Native: No
- Year added to list: 2017
This diminutive evergreen groundcover or pocket perennial forms delicate mounds of threadlike foliage to abotu 8″ high and spreading slowly. In mid summer, plants produce small sprays of clear white blooms followed by dark cobalt blue fruit. Durable and easy to grow plant.
Formerly sold under the name O. chingii.
Panicum virgatum
Switchgrass
‘Cloud Nine’
- Cold Hardiness: Zone 4-8
- Size: 6' x 6'
- Light Requirement: Full Sun
- Flowering Time: Summer, Fall
- Kentucky Native: Yes
- Year added to list: 2009
This North American native grass will grow to 6’ tall or more, producing fine clouds of summer/fall blooms/seed heads that give the entire plant an airy feel. Best when planted in masses in full sun. Excellent for back of the border and naturalized masses.