This low-maintenance grass makes a beautiful groundcover in shady gardens.
The mounding clumps of grassy leaves gradually slowly increase in size.
All types should be planted in evenly moist soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH.
Credit: Peter Krumhardt
Place the grass in the hole and backfill the hole with soil.
Water it well and keep it evenly moist until the grass is established.
Space plants 12 to 24 inches apart depending on the mature size of the variety.
Credit: John Granen
Hakone Grass Care Tips
Light
Hakone grass needs partial shade.
In too much sun, especially the types with variegated and golden foliage are susceptible to scorching.
Temperature and Humidity
Hakone grass is winter-hardy down to zone 5.
Credit: Bob Stefko
Unlike other ornamental grasses, the foliage dies back so it does not provide winter interest.
It benefits from a thick layer of mulch to protect the roots.
The grass does well in humid conditions but does not like extreme dry heat.
Credit: Julie Maris Semarco
Select a pot with large drainage holes and at least 2 inches larger in diameter than the nursery pot.
Fill it with a combination of well-draining potting soil and compost.
Despite the winter-hardiness of hakone grass, in a pot its roots are exposed and subject to freeze-and-thaw cycles.
Credit: Andre Baranowski
While the grass should definitely remain outdoors during the winter, the roots need protection.
Pests and Problems
This grass is blissfully unbothered by serious insect or disease problems.
Deer dont like it either.
Credit: Mike Jensen
Dig up the entire plant and separate the root it into sections.
ensure each section has signs of new growth.
Discard any dead pieces.
Replant the sections in a new location at the same depth as the original grass.
Its lovely golden-yellow leaves are striped with green and arch gracefully toward the light.
Zone 5-9
‘All Gold’ Japanese Forest Grass
Make a bold statement with thisHakonechloa macravariety.
This cultivar tolerates sun better than varieties with golden foliage.
It also grows faster and reaches a mature height of 3 feet.
Holly Fern
For that shady spot, you’re able to’t go wrong withholly ferns.
Their evergreen fronds always look good and they mix well with other shade lovers, without taking over.
Columbine thrives in sun or partial shade in moist, well-drained soil.
Plants tend to be short-lived but self-seed readily, often creating natural hybrids with other nearby columbines.
Potentially yes, but the seeds are not widely available.
Seeds from one of the popular cultivars wont produce a grass that is true to the parent.
