Browsing plants: ornamental grasses

Grasses belong to one of the largest and most economically and ecologically important families of plants with over nine thousand species recognized by botanists. Grasses can be found on every continent and in a wide variety of habitats, both as the dominant plant type (in prairies and tundra) or as minor components of the plant community. Collectively, grasses domesticated as crops represent the world’s most important source of food.

Grasses have multiple characteristics that differentiate them from other plants. They usually have long, narrow leaves and can grow very tall (tropical bamboos can grow 328′ high) or prostrate along the ground. Grasses have evolved in environments where drought, grazing by large herbivores, and fires were common, and have large root systems that can store substantial food reserves that allow them to regrow quickly if aboveground parts are removed. This also makes them drought resistant, ideal for lawns that are repeatedly mowed, and great for preventing soil erosion.