Grasses, Vines, and Ferns     Native to James City County, New Kent and Charles City

 

 

W = wet (near water)

M = moist

D = dry

DT =  drought tolerant

SU = full sun

SH = shade

PS = partial shade  

L = lowland

U = upland

B = both areas  

                      

Scientific Name Common Name Flower Color Bloom Time Soil Light

Plant

Height

Plant

Width

Comments Locale Riparian Zones Good Ground Cover

 Grasses and Grass-Like Plants           

Agrostis perennans upland bentgrass, autumn bentgrass maroonish-tan SM-F M-W SU-SH 3.5'   Not showy U 1-4  
Andropogon gerardii big bluestem reddish F D-W SU 6' 3' Deer Resistant, tall in fall U 2-3  
Andropogon glomeratus bushy bluestem light brown F M DT SU 3'-6'     L 3  
Andropogon ternarius split bluestem tan F D SU 2-5' 2'   U 3-4  
Andropogon virginicus broomsedge brown   D-M, DT SU       U 3  
Carex lurida sallow sedge golden SM-F W SU 1-3' 1'   L 1-3  
Chasmanthium latifolium river oats, Indian oats tan F M PS 2-5' 2-3'   L 2-4  
Elymus hystrix bottlebrush grass tan   M SU-SH       L 4  
Eragrostis spectabilis purple lovegrass purple SM-F D-M SU 1-3'     L 2-4  
Juncus effusus soft rush greenish brown   W SU 1-4'     U 1-3  
Muhlenbergia capillaris purple muhly grass purple F D SU 3’ 3' not native in JCC,CC,NK U 4  
Panicum amarum coastal panic grass yellow F M SU 5'   Salt & drought tolerant   1-3  
Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’, 'Heavy Metal', 'Dallis Blue', 'Northwind' switchgrass red, purple  SM-F M-W SU 4-6' 3' Deer Resistant U 1-3  
Saccharum giganteum giant plumegrass red, purple, blue, tan F M-W SU-PS 6-12'       1-3  
Schizachyrium scoparium little bluestem blue foliage, red fall foliage SM D-M SU 3-5’ 1' clumps U 2-4  
Scirpus cyperinus woolgrass, bulrush brown L SM W SU 3-6'     L 1-3  
Sorghastrum nutans Indian grass yellow L SM D-M SU 3-8' 2' tall clump grass B 1-4  
Tridens flavus red top, purple top purple SM-F D-M SU-PS 2.5-6'   plant in groups U 4  
Tripsacum dactyloides eastern gamagrass yellow S M SU-PS 2-5'       1-3  
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Vines

 

 

Bignonia capreolata crossvine orange-red S D-M SU 50' 3' Ground cover or climber L 2-4 yes, but will climb
Campsis radicans trumpet creeper orange SM-F D-M SU 35-70' 3' climbs vigorously L 3-4  
Celastrus scandens American bittersweet white; fruit orange S D-M SU 1-2'  wide Deer Resistant, vigorous U 4  
Clematis virginiana virgin's bower white L SM D-M SU-SH 1'   Deer Resistant L 1-4  
Decumaria barbara climbing hydrangea white SM-F M PS-SH 30'     L 2-3  
Gaultheria procumbens teaberry, wintergreen white bells SM M PS  1-2'   evergreen grnd cover U 3-4 yes
Gelsemium sempervirens Carolina jessamine yellow S M SU-PS 20' 8 ' green to purple in winter, prune to maintain shape U 2-4 yes
Lonicera sempervirens trumpet honeysuckle coral S-F M SU-PS 20-36' 8' evergreen habit U 2-4  
Mitchella repens partridgeberry white SM M SH .5-1'   evergreen, red berries U 2-4  
Parthenocissus quinquefolia Virginia creeper  tiny white; fruit blue on red stems F (fruit) M-D SU-SH 40' 3-5' Ground cover or climber - Deer Resistant U 2-4 yes
Passiflora incarnata passionflower lavender S-SM M-D SU-PS 12-36' 3' Edible fruit; can form groundcover L 3-4 yes
Vitis rotundifolia muscadine grape green, yellow SM M PS 90'     U 2-4  
Wisteria frutescens American wisteria purple, pink, or blue E SM M SU 12-36'     U 2-4  
                     
                     

 Ferns

 

 

Adiantum pedatum maidenhair fern     M SH to 2'   lacy, whorled leaves, calcaraeous U 4  
Asplenium platyneuron ebony spleenwort     M SU-SH to 10"   Evergreen, small U 4 yes
Athyrium asplenioides (A.filix-femina) southern ladyfern     M PS-SH 2'   forms drifts B 3-4 yes
Dryopteris cristata  crested wood or chain fern     M SU-PS     swamps & marshes, evergreen U  4 yes
Dryopteris intermedia  evergreen woodfern     D-M SH     woods, evergreen U 4 yes
Onoclea sensibilis sensitive fern     M SH 2'   spreads agressively L 3-4 yes
Osmunda cinnamomea cinnamon fern     M SH to 4'   Interesting tall sporophyte L 2-3 yes
Osmunda regalis royal fern     M-W SH to 5'     L 3-4 yes
Polystichum acrostichoides Christmas fern     M SH to 2'   Evergreen U 4 yes
Thelypteris noveboracensis New York fern     M SH to 2'     U 3-4 yes
Thelypteris palustris (Dryopteris thelypteris) eastern marsh fern     M-W SU-PS 1'-2'     L 1-3 yes
Woodwardia areolata netted chain fern     M-W PS-SH 1'-2'     L 1-3 yes
Woodwardia virginica Virginia chainfern     M-W PS-SH 1'-3'     L 1-2 yes
                       
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Natives NOT INCLUDED:

Cyperus echinatus umbrella sedge             Too weedy      
Dennstaedtia punctiloba hayscented fern     D-M SU-PS     Too weedy U   yes
Dryopteris marginalis evergreen sheld fern to 3'   M SH     woods, clearings, evergreen, Not coastal     yes
Phalaris arundinacea ribbon grass white-green   M-W SU-PS     not native in JCC/NK/CC U