ornamental grass
Autumn moor grass
Sesleria autumnalis
Preview: plant data is awaiting horticulturist review. A professional horticulturist hasn't reviewed our plant table yet. Lists still follow fixed rules for zone, sun, pets, deer and invasive status.
Hardy in zones 4–9, Autumn moor grass is a semi-evergreen ornamental grass. Expect 1.5–2 ft of height and 1.5–2 ft of spread; our lists space it 1.5 ft apart. It does best in full sun to part shade with average water. Expect white flowers in August to October. In a FloraVista list it usually plays the grass role: a grass or grass-like plant that adds movement and fine texture in the middle. Deer usually leave it alone, and it is not listed as toxic to dogs or cats.
Facts from our plant table
- Botanical name
- Sesleria autumnalis
- Plant type
- Ornamental grass, semi evergreen
- Hardiness zones
- 4 to 9
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours); Part sun (4–6 hours); Part shade (2–4 hours)
- Water
- Medium
- Soil
- Adaptable; tolerates dry soil once established.
- Mature size
- 1.5–2 ft tall × 1.5–2 ft wide
- Spacing
- 1.5 ft apart (centre to centre)
- Growth rate
- Medium
- Bloom
- Aug–Oct · white
- Roles in a bed
- Grass
- Styles
- modern, classic
- Deer resistance
- High: deer rarely eat it
- Pets
- Not listed as toxic to dogs or cats
- Native to
- Not native to the US (or a garden hybrid)
- Pot size and price
- 1-gallon pot, typically $10–$18 (sometimes stocked)
- Plant in
- Spring or Fall
- First-year watering
- Water deeply once or twice a week through the first summer, more in heat; keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy. Established plants need water only in dry spells.
- Pruning
- Comb out or trim tired leaves in early spring; do not cut into the crown.
Sources: Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder; state extension service fact sheets; ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list (true grasses and sedges are not listed as toxic); Rutgers NJAES deer resistance ratings; state extension service; Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States; state noxious weed and invasive plant lists; US garden-centre and home-improvement retail listings (general knowledge, 2026 estimate). Not yet reviewed by a horticulturist.
Good companions
The plants our list engine most often puts in the same bed as Autumn moor grass, across the sun, zone, pet, deer and style combinations it fits.
- Chinese astilbe 'Visions'Astilbe chinensis 'Visions'perennial · zones 4–8
- Christmas fernPolystichum acrostichoidesfern · zones 3–9
- FoamflowerTiarella cordifoliaperennial · zones 3–8
- Hairy alumroot 'Caramel'Heuchera villosa 'Caramel'perennial · zones 4–9
- Coral bells 'Palace Purple'Heuchera micrantha var. diversifolia 'Palace Purple'perennial · zones 4–9
- Pennsylvania sedgeCarex pensylvanicaornamental grass · zones 3–8
If you can't find it
Substitutes our engine offers for Autumn moor grass: same role in the bed, passing the same rules.
How this page was made
This page was generated from this plant's record in FloraVista's plant table by fixed rules. The companions and substitutes come from the lists our rules engine composes. No named expert has reviewed this page.
Data status: the plant table is awaiting review by a horticulturist. Check each plant with a local nursery or extension office before you buy.
Sources
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, state extension services and the USDA PLANTS database (zones, size, sun, water, bloom, native range)
- ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists (dog and cat toxicity)
- Rutgers NJAES and regional extension deer-resistance ratings
- State noxious-weed and invasive-plant lists and the Invasive Plant Atlas of the US
- Typical US garden-centre listings (pot size and price band)
Generated . How FloraVista chooses plants