In case you’re looking for a grass-like, care-free floor cowl that can add texture to your panorama, then look no additional than this well-liked evergreen grass, Ophiopogon japonicus, sometimes often generally known as mondo grass. Mondo grass originated in Japan and China and is named the standard floor cowl of many Japanese gardens.

This decorative grass is rather like black mondo grass, and truly, it’s a direct relative. Whereas black mondo grass is darkish and spooky-looking, the dwarf lilyturf, or simply mondo grass, is a stunning mild inexperienced hue and appears good as an accent floor cowl.

Technically not a grass in the slightest degree (it’s additional intently associated to the lily than to most grass species), it’s a stunning species that’s in a position to care for factors that almost all crops can’t stand – like rising beneath black walnut bushes because of it’s juglone-resistant. It might actually furthermore care for deeply shaded areas, is proof against salt, and is deer- and rabbit-resistant.

A hottest evergreen species, it’d perhaps furthermore take full photograph voltaic situations and will produce white to lilac flowers if it’s joyful ample. These flowers are tiny, however they type in clusters alongside the side of the leaves and their bloom stands out from the narrow-bladed leaves. These flowers could even bear fruit which is able to type as a tiny, vivid blue berry on the underside of the foliage. 

Overview

Plant Selection Decorative grass, lilyturf Species Ophiopogon japonicus	Native Home China, Japan, Korea Publicity Full photograph voltaic to partial shade Peak 6-15”, dwarf varieties 3-4” Watering Necessities Frequent	Pests & Sicknesses Slugs, snails, fungal components, root rot

What’s Ophiopogon Japonicus?

There are two varieties of Ophiopogon japonicus: a every day sort and a dwarf sort. The identical previous sort very merely spreads by way of stolons, which is an above-ground runner. This makes it an beautiful varied for a large home that you just simply want to cowl like a shady home the place typical turf grasses don’t develop as correctly.

The dwarf sort wouldn’t unfold this vogue and grows in dense tufts. This makes it simpler to deal with and higher suited to borders or filling in areas between pavers all through the yard.

Native Home

As talked about above this grass-like evergreen originated in Japan and China and is understood by many widespread names equal to mondo grass, dwarf lilyturf, dwarf mondo grass, Japanese lilyturf, snake’s beard, and monkey grass. 

Traits

Mondo grass is also acknowledged by its partaking evergreen foliage which seems as darkish green-blue strap-shaped leaves. The flowers are small with six petals and the flower coloration ranges from white to pale lilac flowers. It would generally bloom in early summer time season. This floor cowl is an evergreen that can maintain inexperienced and develop year-round although its progress could gradual all through the winter. This makes an beautiful low-maintenance border plant because it’d perhaps survive anyplace from full photograph voltaic to shady areas.

It does produce small cobalt blue berries that aren’t poisonous. Nonetheless, there aren’t any acknowledged culinary makes use of for them. The berries appear like blue variations of asparagus berries, which is sensible on account of this plant is all through the Asparagaceae household, which is the same household of crops as widespread asparagus.

Discover ways to Develop

Mondo grass is low to medium upkeep and with the next necessities met, you’ll profit from its evergreen strap leaves along with texture to your panorama by the use of summer time season and winter. As a rule, you’ll even uncover it to be care-free.

Gentle

Mondo grass can tolerate full photograph voltaic to full shade, though the best site for this grass can be partial shade. In sunny areas, the foliage will fade to a lighter inexperienced, whereas shifting this plant to shady areas will carry out the darkish inexperienced leaves.

Water

As with most crops grown in hotter climates, the easiest time of day to water is all through the morning in order that the moisture has an opportunity to soak into the soil earlier than the warmth of the day can evaporate it. Nonetheless, in case you’ve missed this window of various then the second-best different is to water it all through the night.

Take care to avoid wetting the foliage as this may occasionally more and more increasingly more set off fungal components. Ensuing from their small measurement and low progress profile, it’s best to water this plant with a drip irrigation system. As rapidly as established, these crops are drought-tolerant and will survive the warmth with out slightly lots consideration. It’s bigger to underwater comparatively than overwater these crops as they’re furthermore prone to root rot. All through the winter, as their progress slows, within the discount of the quantity of moisture. 

Soil

This typical floor cowl can survive in loads of soil varieties and may even be grown hydroponically. This makes it an superior different for a border spherical a pond as correctly. It has furthermore been seen at large self-discipline pet retailers being provided as an underwater aquatic plant, however that’s not advisable for this plant. It would survive completely submerged for quite a few weeks after which ultimately die as its not an aquatic. This plant prefers barely acidic to impartial soil with a pH of 5.5-7.

It might be grown in containers as correctly so long as they’re stuffed with well-draining soil. It does notably correctly on slopes as water drains away from the roots.

Temperature

Ophiopogon japonicus is delicate to frost. A lightweight-weight-weight frost could set off harm that it’d perhaps get correctly from, however a difficult frost will severely set your crops as soon as extra. For that motive, rising this plant in USDA hardiness zone 6-10 will guarantee its survival. 

Fertilizing

One completely different side that makes mondo grass low upkeep is the fact that it doesn’t require any fertilizing in the slightest degree. In case you want to give it a elevate, then a first-rate dressing of compost in early spring is probably ample. In another case, it survives merely excellent in loads of soil varieties and conditions so long as the soil is well-draining. 

Upkeep

Pruning shouldn’t be obligatory for this plant. It would develop till it reaches its mature peak after which give consideration to roots, flower manufacturing, and unfold. In distinction to straightforward turf grasses, it might not must be mowed and may tolerate mild foot site company. You’ll solely ever must take away ineffective or broken foliage. 

Propagation

It’s best to propagate Ophiopogon japonicus by division. In early spring dig up a clump of mondo grass and tease aside the roots till you’ll have quite a few sections. Replant every half with on the very least four-inch spacing and they also’ll ultimately unfold to fill all through the gaps.

Mondo grass could be grown from seed, however this plant might probably be very gradual rising so it should take some time to get a viable transplant when rising from seed. 

Widespread Factors

As talked about, mondo grass might probably be very low upkeep, shade-loving, evergreen, deer-resistant, and a very excellent border plant. There aren’t many pest and illness components with this plant, however there are some points for which to care for a watch mounted out. 

Rising Factors

Warmth is also an issue for these lily turfs, notably mirrored warmth from partitions, walkways, and the like. Metropolis gardening is also stuffed with pitfalls of this type in and spherical yard beds or containers. On account of this, it’s advisable in the midst of the summer time season months to produce {{{a partially}}} shaded location away from exhausting scapes that can take up and radiate warmth from the photograph voltaic. Sustaining the soil moist all via scorching native climate would possibly assist your crops care for a bit additional warmth. Shade supplies arching over beds may also assist in the discount of heat in gardens the place these are planted.

Pests

Mondo grass is rabbit and deer-resistant. Nonetheless, slugs and snails have been acknowledged to munch on the leaves typically. In case you see holes all through the leaves they usually additionally seem to wilt, then this can be an indicator that slugs or snails are current. Visually examine the leaves. If in case you have gotten chickens, this generally is a probability to set them unfastened in your mondo grass for some tasty treats. For these of us with no yard flock, the best plan of movement is a slug and snail bait. There are pure baits constituted of iron phosphate which could be protected to make the most of spherical wildlife, individuals, and pets. 

Sicknesses

Fungal sicknesses like anthracnose can have an effect on these shade-loving floor covers. This typically is a fungal illness that often seems in the midst of the chilly and moist early spring in areas with excessive humidity. It causes leaf spots, cupping, or curling of the leaves and leaf drop. The most effective preventative measure might probably be to make sure there is also good air circulation spherical your crops. After a lilyturf is severely contaminated it’s most fascinating to take away and destroy it to care for the fungal an an an infection from spreading to fully completely different lilyturfs. Gentle infections is also handled with a copper fungicide.

Mondo grass is prone to root rot launched on by pythium fungal strains that develop in overly-moist situations. Since this plant is relatively drought-tolerant, it’s bigger to underwater it than overwater it and hazard root rot components. Root rot is difficult to reverse if it has already progressed too far. If the plant seems brown and mushy on the underside then this can be an indication of it creating. As soon as extra off on watering and let on the very least the very best inch of soil all through the roots dry out completely earlier than watering as quickly as additional. 

Always Requested Questions