Blue Oat Grass (Helictotrichon sempervirens) is a cool-season, clump-forming ornamental grass prized for its striking steel-blue foliage and graceful, arching form. This #5 container plant is well-established and ready to transplant into the landscape. A winner of the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit, Blue Oat Grass is one of the most elegant ornamental grasses available for home gardens.

Growing 18–24 inches tall and wide, it forms a dense, bristly mound of narrow, steel-blue blades that arch to fine points. In early to midsummer, slender stems rise an additional foot or two above the foliage bearing delicate, oat-like seed heads that mature to a warm golden-tan, adding season-long interest. The blue color is most intense in full sun and drier soil. It is hardy in USDA zones 3–8, making it suitable for a wide range of climates. Plant in full sun to very light shade in well-drained soil; it tolerates dry conditions and even heavy clay as long as drainage is adequate.

Blue Oat Grass excels as a specimen accent plant, in rock gardens, along walkways, in drifts, or in containers. It pairs beautifully with Russian sage, salvias, sedums, and other ornamental grasses. Maintenance is minimal — simply rake out any dead foliage in late winter or early spring.