Ophiopogonspp.
A beautiful , small - maturate and mound ground cover , mondo grass is an ideal ornamental for low traffic area .
Not a truthful gage at all , these tuberous - rootle perennials from theOphiopogongenus belong to the asparagus fellowship , Asparagaceae . They grow in attractively dense clumps with gracefully arching , minute leaves of dark green to black , and are easily cultivated .
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Several varieties are unremarkably used in the home garden for their handsome , evergreen foliation , easy care , and shade tolerance . These plants grow well in full Sunday , but they really shine in lightsome shade .
Colonizing tardily , they ’re an attractive , non - invasive alternative to traditional sod and turf .
Non - grumpy and adaptable , they play in many options such as beds , borders , container , geometrical plantings , and underplantings , or in gravel , speculation , and Mediterranean gardens . And they work nicely as ground cover as well .
Plus , thanks to their power to spread , they ’re an excellent choice as a sod - forming stabilizer for banks , brook side , side , and oecumenical erosion control .
summertime brings small , bell - shaped flush of lilac or white-hot that efflorescence on short raceme , grow pea plant - sized , black to racy berry , cheekily peek out from the leaf .
An evergreen with a kempt , easy riding habit , mondo green goddess spreads by underground runner or runners and propagation by root class is immobile and sluttish .
Pretty , low - sustenance , and made for the refinement – does this sound like an ornamental your garden penury ? Then let ’s plunk in for a closer look at how to grow mondo grass !
Here ’s everything we ’ll cover up ahead :
What You’ll Learn
What Is Mondo Grass?
Also known as scalawag grass , Ophiopogonspecies are aboriginal to contribution of southeastern Asia , let in China , Korea , Japan , and Vietnam .
Easy to like for and not fussy about emplacement , they ’re well - suited for raise in the home garden or landscape , with the morose greenO. japonicabeing the most normally cultivated species .
But other species and various cultivars are democratic as well , include choice with black foliage likeO. planiscapus‘Nigrescens , ’ the variegated cultivarO. jaburan‘Vittatus , ’ and charming gnome varieties such asO. japonica‘Nana . ’
Ophiopogonis often confused with anotherAsparagaceaefamily penis called lilyturf , Liriope , which is moot encroaching in function of North America .
Like many narrow - entrust ornamental , species in the genusOphiopogonare misnamed as smoke , but belong to an totally different family as note above , Asparagaceae .
They feature fragile , fine to intermediate - textured folio blades of drab green to Negroid that grow six to 12 column inch tall in a refined , arching habit . Plants spread 12 to 18 in wide and form obtuse , slowly spreading clump .
Small raceme of mauve to lily-white , doorbell - like flowers come along in early summertime , follow by pretty , pea - like berries of bright blue to melanise in autumn . Both flowers and berries are partly cover by the foliage , giving an elusive appeal when spot .
With tuberous root word , plants spread via surreptitious runners , creating a boneheaded and tough ground covering – but their jerkwater pace make these evergreens non - incursive and easy control .
Plants are cervid and rabbit resistant with ripe salt tolerance , a blessing for coastal gardeners . Hardy in Zones 7 to 11 , some cultivar are suitable for raise in Zones 5 and 6 .
Certain types ofOphiopogonare sometimes sell as aquarium or bog down plant but these are short - lived in aquatic environs because they ’re not true urine plants .
Their favorite environment provides filtered sun to full ghost , and lightly moist and well - draining soil .
Cultivation and History
Native to rich , humus - rich forests and knit of southeast Asia , mondo grass varieties have long been used in classical Japanese gravel or loony toons gardens .
And in traditional Chinese medicinal drug , the roots and tubers are used to treat and equilibrate deficiency in yin strength .
The genus nameOphiopogonis educe from the Greek wordsophios , which means dragon or snake , andpogon , which means beard – the dragon ’s beard is thought to reference the flower spikes .
Propagation
Propagation is most easily done in outpouring by split up side shoots or large clumps .
To divide large lump , enclose a clean , astute coon flat into the grime all around the plant , trace the outmost foliage tips .
Use the spade to raise the tuberous beginning clump .
Gently brush off excess grime , then dissever the roots with your digit or use a fair , sharp knife , to furcate into equal division .
secure each division has eight to 12 leaves and plentitude of healthy tuber and birdfeeder roots .
Plant as outlined in the How to Grow department below .
To separate side shoots , carefully relax the soil around the root ball then lightly pull the roots away from the parent .
control each shoot comes out with tidy roots .
Pot up into four- to eight - column inch containers . spot in a sheltered office in the garden that receives morning sun with afternoon shade , or lightly mottled shade .
H2O regularly to keep the soil moist , then transplantation into the garden when plants put on new growth .
Move small containers into a frost - devoid area over the wintertime as needed .
How to Grow
Mondos grow considerably in well - draining garden soil enriched with organic subject such as compost or of age manure , with a slenderly acidulent pH of 5.5 to 6.5 .
These will produce in full sun to full shade , but they really thrive in areas of filtered Sunday or mottled shadowiness . Shade - grown plant typically have a darker leaf coloring material than those planted in full sunlight .
Create planting holes the same depth and twice the breadth of root ball , space them four to 12 inches apart , or two to four inches apart for dwarf varieties .
Amend the soil with organic issue as needed and meld insome bone mealfor healthy root ontogenesis .
Set plants with the tip place just below soil level then backfill .
softly firm the soil and piddle light to reconcile , then piss weekly in the absence seizure of pelting to provide slightly moist soil .
To keep weeds down and retain soil moisture , sum up a two - inch layer of leaf mold orstraw mulcharound plants .
For container growth , I like to first short letter jackpot and planters with a stratum of drain cloth , such as humiliated pottery or pebble .
Fill the pots with a hommos - rich soil mix remedy withmoisture - retentive materials such as coconut coir , peat moss , perlite , or vermiculite .
Mix in some os repast for healthy , strong roots then engraft with the crowns just below the soil line and business firm in place .
Water lightly to subside in place and provide piss weekly or when the top inch of dirt is dry , keeping the soil lightly moist until set up .
Plants favor lightly moist soil but are drouth resistant once base – mention that their growth slows even more in dry conditions .
In natural spring , give container plants a side - dressing of constituent matter such as compost or apply a balanced , slow - discharge fertiliser .
Growing Tips
Mondos postulate slight from the gardener , but the following point are utile for cultivating sizeable , happy plants :
These are low - maintenance specimens . A twain of annual chores will keep them face their good .
Pruning and Maintenance
Attractive twelvemonth rung , plant may turn brown in nerveless regions or can become a piece lambaste by winter ’s end .
If needed , expend clean , sharp garden shear to cut back mounds of old , shaggy-coated or dead leaves in other spring before raw outgrowth emerge . Cut back by a third to half of their full distance .
Mondo grasses are not heavy feeders but benefit from a one- to two - column inch layer of top - dressing such as compost laid over bed in early give .
instead , apply a tedious - release granulate fertilizer in other spring using a balanced 10 - 10 - 10 NPK formula , or a bush and Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree normal such as 18 - 6 - 12 NPK .
enceinte specimen can be divided every three years . Container plants should be allow to become slenderly source bound before dividing and repotting .
Species and Cultivars to Select
New cultivars are being premise regularly , but here are a few suggestion to get you started .
Black Beard
big , dark , and highly ornamental , ‘ Black Beard ’ ( akaO. planiscapus‘Yapard ’ ) features long , strappy folio of the deepest purple - blackamoor in beautiful , arch mounds .
minor spike of pale lavender flowers adorn works in summertime followed by ink-black - black berry in fall .
Tough and non - fussy , these easy - care plants extend to a fledged height of 12 to 15 inch with a spread of 18 to 24 in . Hardy in geographical zone 7 to 10 .
‘ Black Beard ’
A unequalled alternative for banks , beds , borders , inch , and planters , plus ground cover and underplanting , they ’ll also do well in city , coastal , court , and gravel garden .
Container plants areavailable at Nature Hills Nursery .
Nana
Half as heavy as the species plant , dwarf mondo ( O. japonicus‘Nana ’ ) has bass green foliage in dry pint - sized , mop - top clumps . A charming evergreen , midget drab flower come along in summertime followed by bright , cobalt - blue flowers in surrender .
Plants grow only four to six column inch marvelous with the same width and are hardy in Zones 6 to 11 .
‘ Nana ’
With a soft , graceful form , dwarf mondo is an outstanding option for border , container , edging , and mass planting . It also makes an easy , non - mowing alternative to turf in low - dealings area .
Nigrescens
For a hint of the in darkness dramatic , gnome inglorious mondo gage , O. planiscapus‘Nigrescens , ’ beatify with the deep shade of aubergine - blackened and features pretty , white or mauve blossom in summer with drop - sized , cryptic purple Berry in gloam .
The disease - repellent plant grow up to eight inches marvelous with a 12 - inch bed covering and are hardy in Zones 5 to 10 .
‘ Nigrescens ’
They make a superb addition in Sunday - to - ghost beds , borders , and containers , and may be grown as a ground natural covering , or in Asiatic - dash , city , courtyard , and crushed rock or stone gardens .
This is an striking choice for pair off with flora featuring chartreuse or lime - unripened foliage , likehostas , spirea , and cosmetic sweet white potato vine vine .
Container plant areavailable at Fast Growing Trees .
Mondo Grass
lust the classic ? Featuring an refined , curve form , stock mondo grass ( O. japonica ) feature strappy , dark green foliation with small-scale racemes of pale blue , mauve , or white summer bloom and pretty , bright blue berries in drop .
wondrously low - maintenance and durable , plants raise eight to 12 inches marvelous and wide and are hardy in Zones 6 to 11 .
A self-colored performer for beds , delimitation , containers , edging , ground covers , and underplanting , or in coastal , crushed rock , and rock garden .
Container plantscan be found at Home Depot .
Managing Pests and Disease
Robust and tough , mondo grass has few problems … but there are a couple of issues to watch for .
clout and snail can chew hole in the ship’s boat , new foliage of all miscellany .
Hand pick and dispose of gastropod in a pail of soapy water – or utilize one of the other solution recommended in our guide on instinctive methods toprotect your garden from biff and snails .
excessively wet soil can go to root rot , do by the water supply moldPythium splendens , particularly with dwarf varieties . To keep root word rot , ensure land is well draining and do n’t overwater .
Best Uses
These low - grow , tough evergreen plant are ideal as a primer cover , a shadiness - tolerant ornamental for underplanting shrubs and Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , or as a makeweight between stepping stones .
Their tidy maturation and uniform mound add order and social system to borders , containers , and edging , and they ’re outstanding in geometric bed and knot gardens .
A natural for flank current and ponds , mondo grasses can also be used in a variety of themed background such as metropolis , courtyard , crushed rock , speculation , sway , and zen gardens .
Plus , their table salt tolerance cook them a worthful selection for coastal garden or in layer subjected to salty slush .
Quick Reference Growing Guide
Short, Dark, and Handsome
For graceful edge , flowing container plant , or a dumb , spreading background cover , low - growing mondo Gunter Wilhelm Grass makes a curt , ( mostly ) nighttime , and openhanded addition in a multifariousness of setting !
The only must - do demand for these easy - charge , slow - maturate plants are to keep the soil thinly moist until they ’re prove and top - dress with compost in fountain . Divide container and specimen plants every few class , and that ’s about all they demand .
You ’ll love the beauty and versatility of these leisurely , low - maintenance plants in both Lord’s Day and spook gardens .
And formore selective information about growing ornamental grasses , have a read of these guides next :
exposure by Lorna Kring © expect the Experts , LLC . ALL right RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . Product pic via firm Growing Trees , Home Depot , and Nature Hills Nursery . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock .
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