Chapter 10 Ornamental Plants in the Landscape 253 Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. daisies, and purple conefl owers, adorn residential and commercial landscapes across the country. Other popular perennials include yarrow, hollyhock, col- umbine, clematis, larkspur, and phlox, Figure 10-15. Cultivars Plant breeders have developed thousands of cultivars of many favorite herbaceous perennials. Over 2000 hosta cultivars have been named and each plant is unique in its height, fl ower color, width, and variegation pattern. Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears,’ for example, has a mature height of 8″ and features tiny leaves that resemble mouse ears whereas Hosta ‘Blue Angel’ has large leaves and grows to a mature height of 32″. The different cultivars enable designers to use plant species in areas where the original species may not thrive. Ornamental Grasses True ornamental grasses are perennial grasses belonging to the Poaceae family that range in size from 12″ to over 10′ , Figure 10-16. Many people may consider ornamental grasses and grass-like plants herbaceous perennials. However, grasses are botanically different from herbaceous ornamentals and Debu55y/Shutterstock.com Figure 10-14. A—Euphorbia is a drought-tolerant perennial that provides unique visual interest. B—Herbaceous perennial plants provide interesting colors and textures that can quickly become a focal point in any landscape. Manfred Ruckszio/Shutterstock.com A B Del Boy/Shutterstock.com Figure 10-15. Herbaceous perennials offer unique floral and leaf color that few other plants can match. Anna Gratys/Shutterstock.com Thinglas/Shutterstock.com