Hakone Grass Is A Low-Maintenance Way To Take Your Landscaping Up A Notch

Ornamental grasses can be the ideal way to add elegance and beauty to your landscape. While the right grass for your garden is going to depend on a lot of factors including your soil type, average rainfall, and light levels, one easy-to-grow grass to consider (especially if your yard is shady) is the beautiful Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra). This stunning grass's waterfall-like shape and golden, green, or variegated foliage grow with little effort in many locations and aren't bothered by pollution.

Native to Hoshu, Japan, Hakone grass isn't considered invasive in North America, where it thrives in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 through 9. It slowly spreads via rhizomes, and you can split the ornamental grasses in spring if you want to propagate additional plants. And with a height of only a foot and a half, it's perfect for planting towards the front of shady borders. The grass even provides some winter interest before you prune your ornamental grasses back at the end of the season to prepare for new growth in the spring.

Hakone grass thrives in fertile soil and requires good drainage to thrive. While some areas have this soil type already, consider testing your garden soil and amending with a soil conditioner if necessary. If you live in a drier area, your Hakone grass will also need regular watering, as this species prefers consistently moist soil. It grows well in containers, making it perfect for planting in a pot on a shady porch or balcony — further adding to its low-maintenance reputation. Just water it regularly and watch it grow.

While it's true there aren't a lot of different species of ornamental grasses that thrive in shade, you do have a wide variety of Hakone grass cultivars to choose from. The 'Aureola' cultivar boasts golden leaves, while cultivars like 'Albostriata' come in bright green. If you wanted, you could make a colorful garden made of only Hakone grass. Or you can pair it with plants like ferns and heucheras.  Unlike hostas, which are difficult to keep deer from eating and grow well in similar conditions, Hakone grass is deer resistant. If you don't struggle with deer, consider growing hostas and Hakone grass together for another perfect pairing.