Ornamental Grasses That Look Like Spider Plants
- The leaves of the spider plant are long and slender.George Doyle/Stockbyte/Getty Images
Native to South Africa, spider plants are attractive perennials that are often used as houseplants. Their long, slender green and sometimes white-veined leaves give them their descriptive name, and there are a number of ornamental grasses that can bring that same look to the outdoor landscape.
Although spider plants thrive in warm climates and are rated for USDA Zones 9 through 11, ornamental grasses can survive a much wider variety of temperatures. - The American beakgrain is an ornamental grass with long green leaf blades that can reach lengths of up to 3 feet, but are only less than an inch wide, much similar to the leaves of the spider plant. Native to USDA Zones 4 through 8, the American beakgrain is much hardier than the spider plant. A perennial grass, the leaf-like blades are shiny green in the summer, gold in the autumn and then turn light brown in the winter months.
Optimum conditions for the spider plant can result in inconspicuous flowering; similarly, the American beakgrain develops small, green flowers in the summer months, which then turn to seed.
Thriving in shady areas and moist soils, the American beakgrain spreads quickly to form large colonies that can be used as ground cover in damp, shady conditions where other plants have difficulty growing. - Lemongrass is a fragrant, warm-weather ornamental grass that has long, bladelike leaves that are similar in appearance to those of the spider plant. Growing in dense clumps that resemble a spider plant removed from the pot and placed in the ground, a single grouping of lemongrass can be up to 6 feet tall and 4 feet in diameter. Leaves are blue-green, with an arching form.
Evergreen in USDA Zones 10 and 11, lemongrass can also be grown in slightly cooler zones but will be killed by frost and will not return until the weather turns warm again. It requires full sun and moist soils in order to thrive.
Lemongrass releases a citrus fragrance when broken, and can be picked for use in the kitchen. A staple of Thai seasoning, lemongrass is also used in teas, soups, perfumes and as an herbal remedy. It also does well planted in a container indoors, where bright light and warm temperatures keep it green and fragrant year around. - Plume grass is native to the Mediterranean, where it grows in clumps of long, slender, arched leaves. Hardy to USDA Zones 5 through 9, plume grass leaves can be up to 30 inches in length and no more than an inch wide. The leaves are green with a faint grey hue, and turn bronze in the fall. Like some varieties of spider plants, plume grass leaves sport a white stripe down the center of the leaf. Plume grass flowers between September and October, when it develops tall stalks and purple plumes that turn silver as they age and remain through the beginning of the winter.
Clumps of plume grass can be anywhere between 6 and 12 feet tall, and spread anywhere from 4 to 6 feet. Plume grass thrives in full sun, and also does well in dry soils.
