mainstreetlawn

5 Rabbit Resistant Landscape Grasses

October 28, 2023
, Plants

Grasses are an important part of residential landscapes. They provide movement and interest in smaller garden beds. In larger areas, they can offer screening as well as erosion control. However, during the growing seasons, rabbits come from far and wide to lunch on every lush, green blade of most North Texas ornamental grasses. We have listed 5 rabbit resistant landscaping grasses below that will survive beautifully in our North Texas climate without feeding the rabbits.

Dwarf Fountain Grass

This green, bladed grass is perfect for smaller, residential garden beds as it has a maximum growth of 18 inches tall and wide. Dwarf Fountain Grass is a perennial grass which displays its billowy white plumes (May-September) with other summer flowering plants. When dormant, the blades of the Dwarf Fountain Grass will harden and turn brown. You can leave it alone during the winter, but make sure to trim all the blades back to just a few inches to make room for the spring growth.

Juncus Grass

Also commonly referred to as Common Rush, Juncus grass is a fabulous ornamental grass in residential gardens. Juncus Grass will occasionally produce a small flower at the top of each blade in late summer (August through September). With this short blooming period, adding Juncus Grass to your summer landscaping planting plans is ideal. The dark green blades are the main feature of this plant. The blades are dense and stiff, giving it a very desert-like feel.

Although considered a perennial grass, in North Texas, when winters are mild, you might never see your Juncus Grass experience dormancy. If your Juncus Grass does go dormant, you will see the blades turn brown. Simply cut the blades back after the last winter freeze.

Feather Grass

The most finely-textured of all the landscape grasses, Feather Grass is perfect as a solo North Texas native plant in a small space or to be planted in a large grouping for big impact. Because of its fine-textured blades, Feather Grass will always be blowing in the breeze. Although the blades will easily grow to 18 inches in height, the blades will arch, so it will never look more than one foot tall. Another perennial grass, the green blades will plume throughout its growing season (April through October) and then go dormant when the blades turn brown. Prune back all the blades to a few inches from the ground after the last freeze.

Muhly Grass

Another fantastic option as a specimen in a residential garden, Muhly Grass displays stiff green blades and delights with its trademark pink plumes (resembles cotton candy) in late summer and fall (July through October). One of the more shade-tolerant of the perennial grasses, Muhly Grass grows up to 3 feet tall and wide. As with other perennial grasses, Muhly grass goes dormant in late fall and the blades will stiffen and brown. Trim back the blades to make room for the new spring growth.

Pampas Grass

One of the largest and fastest growing perennial grasses, Pampas Grass is a great choice for screening or filling large, open areas. The dark green blades grow to an impressive 6-8 feet tall and wide. The trademark creamy colored plumes will bloom at the top of the blades between late summer and fall (July through November). It’s crucial to trim back your Pampas Grass after the last freeze of the winter season. Don’t worry about losing the height; it grows back to that height every year.

There is no shortage of landscaping grasses available in North Texas. If you’re looking for grasses that will survive the rabbits, try one of the 5 rabbit resistant landscape grasses listed above. Aside from trimming them back, while working on other spring landscaping tasks, they are all incredibly low maintenance.