Grassy Look-Alikes

Ophiopogon Crystal Falls along brick walk. 

Have you come across this old couplet?

“Sedges have edges, rushes are round,

Grasses are hollow right up from the ground.”

LOOK-ALIKES

Grasses are mimicked by look-alikes including sedges, rushes, lily turf and sweet flag.  Other monocots like lily and iris families add look-alikes such as Ogon Yellow sedge Acorus sweet flag closer to rich golden yellow blades provide colorful accent in shade or sun, creating a solid mass ground cover. This Blog accompanies Crabapple LandscapExperts last week's Blog on Ornamental Grasses. 

Sedge

SEDGES

Sedges differ from grasses in that their stems are solid and triangular, and sedge leaves have a prominent V-shaped keel.  

Carex elata ‘Bowles Golden’ Sedge

 Eleocharis dulcis Chinese Water Chestnut

Rushes

RUSHES

Juncus effuses Common Rush

Equisetum hyemale Scouring Rush
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Liriope

LILYTURF

Liriope muscari also known as Monkey Grass or Lilyturf

Ophiopogon japonicus or Dwarf Mondo Grass

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Sweet Flag

SWEET FLAG
Acorus graminus ‘Ogon’ dwarf Japanese Sweet Grass --> 

Blue-eyed Grass

IRIS

Sisyrinchium angustifolium 
Blue eyed grass
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Your Crabapple LandscapExperts Rep can discuss which Ornamental Grass or look-alike is best for you!