Is Ribbon Grass deer resistant?
Phalaris arundinacea
Plant typeOrnamental grassHardinessZones 4–9LightPart shadeMature height24–60 inBloomSummer
MaintenanceHigh, wants regular attention
Native range43 US states
About Ribbon Grass
White-striped blades that light up a damp corner, and an extremely aggressive runner that is listed as invasive across much of the northern United States. Only worth growing in a container or ringed by paving, and even then it escapes. There are better variegated grasses.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 5.5 to 7.5
- Drainage
- Tolerates wet feet
- Water
- Moderate
- Spacing
- 24 to 35 in apart
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maintenance
- High
Similar to Ribbon Grass
Other ornamental grasss with the same deer rating.
Where Ribbon Grass grows
Hardy across most of these 51 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- Pennsylvanianative
- New Jerseynative
- New Yorknative
- Connecticutnative
- Massachusettsnative
- Virginianative
- Marylandnative
- Michigannative
- Wisconsinnative
- Ohionative
- Indiananative
- Illinoisnative
- Minnesotanative
- Missourinative
- North Carolinanative
- Tennesseenative
- Georgia
- Texas
- Coloradonative
- Californianative
- Oregonnative
- Washingtonnative
- New Hampshirenative
- Vermontnative
- Mainenative
- Rhode Islandnative
- Delawarenative
- West Virginianative
- Kentuckynative
- South Carolina
- Florida
- Alabamanative
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- Arkansasnative
- Oklahomanative
- Kansasnative
- Nebraskanative
- Iowanative
- North Dakotanative
- South Dakotanative
- Montananative
- Wyomingnative
- Idahonative
- Utahnative
- Nevadanative
- Arizonanative
- New Mexiconative
- Alaska
- District of Columbianative
- Hawaii
Highlighted states are within its native range according to the USDA PLANTS database, where it is native to 43 US states in total.
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Every list Ribbon Grass belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Ribbon Grass
- Is Ribbon Grass deer resistant?
- Ribbon Grass (Phalaris arundinacea) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
- What hardiness zones does Ribbon Grass grow in?
- Ribbon Grass is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Ribbon Grass grow in shade?
- Yes. Ribbon Grass tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
- How big does Ribbon Grass get?
- Mature height is roughly 24–60 in. Growth rate is fast.