BLOOMS IN THE BOTTLE: Part 2 (Ornamental Grasses)
Posted by John Friel on Mar 26th 2021
Talk about intoxicating beauty! Spirits and flowers go together like, well, like wine and roses. Here’s a round of some of our favorite ornamental grasses. All share their names with fancy adult beverages.
Miscanthus sinensis var. condensatus ‘Cosmopolitan’
The Plant:
Beautiful broad blades with longitudinal striping. Creamy white margins surround rich green centers. This is an impressive specimen, reaching up to nine feet in flower. Hardy in Zones 5 – 10.
The Beverage:
Every bar and bistro has its own recipe, with various quantities of vodka, orange liqueur, lime juice and cranberry juice. They’re quite pretty, but to our eye, not as pretty as a well-grown ornamental grass.
Muhlenbergia capillaris ‘Pink Cloud’
The Plant:
This native American genus features masses of tiny, glittering pink flowers, afloat in a fine froth over airy, open basal clumps of green blades. Most varieties, including ‘Pink Cloud’, are late bloomers. If the flowers come too late to enjoy where you are, try our own intro, Fast Forward®!
Height 3’. Hardy in Zones 6 – 10.
The Beverage:
Another cute cocktail whose ingredients vary. Some versions use vodka, some don’t. Better pour yourself a drink while you decide which suits you best.
The Plant:
One of the taller switch grass varieties, ‘Cloud Nine’ features blue-green blades in a neatly erect, upright habit. Finely dissected inflorescences soar to a sun-spangled seven feet. Hardy in Zones 4 – 10.
The Beverage:
What’s in a Cloud Nine? Depends on where you order it. This one is a variation on a classic dry martini: https://www.bombaysapphire.com/distillery/gin-cocktails/cloud-nine/
But this one: https://makemeacocktail.com/cocktail/1207/cloud-9/ is a sweet confection with a “cloud” of Irish cream liqueur literally floating on a base of two other potent potables.
Lift your customers’ spirits with high-octane ornamental grasses. These toast-worthy selections and many more come to you in 38-cell ice-cube trays, a.k.a. liners, from Emerald Coast Growers – your easy choice!
