Plant Library
ornamental grass

Japanese Woodland Grass

Hakonechloa macra

Add To My Wish List

 
Japanese Woodland Grass (Hakonechloa macra) at Dammann's Garden Company

Japanese Woodland Grass

Japanese Woodland Grass

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Height:  24 inches

Spread:  24 inches

Sunlight:  partial shade  full shade 

Hardiness Zone:  4b

Other Names:  Hakone Grass

Description:

A moisture and shade loving ornamental grass that produces handsome mounds of arching slender leaves in green, golds or variegated patterns; easy to grow and low maintenance, perfect for borders, beds, containers or used as groundcover

Ornamental Features

Japanese Woodland Grass is primarily valued in the garden for its cascading habit of growth. It grassy leaves are green in color. The foliage often turns tan in fall.

Landscape Attributes

Japanese Woodland Grass is a dense herbaceous perennial grass with a shapely form and gracefully arching stems. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and usually looks its best without pruning, although it will tolerate pruning. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Japanese Woodland Grass is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Mass Planting
  • Border Edging
  • General Garden Use
  • Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
  • Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Japanese Woodland Grass will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 15 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It requires an evenly moist well-drained soil for optimal growth, but will die in standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America.

Japanese Woodland Grass is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It can be used either as 'filler' or as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, depending on the height and form of the other plants used in the container planting. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Massing  Edging  Garden  Naturalizing  Container 
Applications
Texture  Plant Form 
Ornamental Features

This tool is an online resource representing many of the varieties that we carry over the course of the season, and is intended for informational purposes only. Inventory varies seasonally, so we cannot guarantee that every plant will be in stock at all times - please contact the store directly for current availability. It does not include our entire selection of plants, so be sure to visit our store to see varieties that may not be represented on this list.