USDA Zone 4

• Prairie cord grass (Spartina pectinata) handles the chill associated with U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zone 4, which includes northern new England and the Upper great Plains. Its stems remain erect in the winter months, giving wildlife around a pond some cover. Prairie cordgrass grows between 3 and 7 feet high and is a favorite habitat for the red-winged blackbird, notes Kansas Wildflowers & Grasses. The seed plumes of Huron Solstice, a variety of switch grass (Panicum), remain on the tops of the grass through winter, giving birds along a pond a source of nutrition. Huron Solstice grows to 4 feet high in dense clumps, appropriate for the clay soils often found near ponds.
  
  

USDA Zones 5 and 6

• Reed grass (Calamagrostis brachytricha) is an effective accent grass for pond edges, hardy in USDA zones 5 and 6, zones that encompass states like Pennsylvania, Missouri and much of Nevada. Growing to 4 feet high, this native to Asia features stiff green foliage and pink flower blooms that are present by the end of summer. Reed grass turns shades of yellow-beige in autumn. American beakgrain (Diarrhena obovata) is a North American grass species that thrives in wet areas in the shade. Appropriate for pond margins, beakgrain grows to 3 feet high. It changes from bright green in summer to gold in fall, and then turns tan for the winter. This grass takes its name from its tapered seeds.
  
  

USDA Zones 7 and 8

• Giant miscanthus (Miscanthus floriduls) lives up to its name, growing to 15 feet tall in USDA zones 7 and 8 in most of the Deep South, Texas and parts of the West Coast. Often grown near water, it has excellent tolerance for wet soil. Its best feature is its 3-foot long leaf blades, which are dark green. They fall off in winter, leaving the erect stems behind. Add contrast and color to your pond periphery with fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides). Fountain grass grows in clumps to 5 feet tall, with the leaves turning from green to gold and then tan as winter sets in.
  
  

USDA Zone 9

• Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus) will grow in the shallows or along the edge of a USDA zone 9 pond in states like Florida and along the Texas coast. It matures to 10 feet tall. In a smaller pond, where it could overwhelm the shore if allowed to grow unhindered, try growing papyrus in a container, then place it underwater, advises Floridata. Florida paspalum (Paspalum floridanus) is native to the central and southern states and suitable for zone 9. It does best in wet soils and full sun, growing to 54 inches tall. Paspalum has white-green flowers and narrow leaf blades.