Must you happen to’re searching for a grass-like, care-free flooring cowl that will add texture to your panorama, then look no additional than this contemporary evergreen grass, Ophiopogon japonicus, often sometimes commonly known as mondo grass. Mondo grass originated in Japan and China and is known as the same old flooring cowl of many Japanese gardens.

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

Technically not a grass in the least (it’s additional intently associated to the lily than to most grass species), it’s a stunning species that’s ready to deal with factors that almost all crops can’t stand – like rising beneath black walnut bushes because of it’s juglone-resistant. It’d furthermore address deeply shaded areas, is proof in opposition to salt, and is deer- and rabbit-resistant.

A hottest evergreen species, it may also take full picture voltaic circumstances and will produce white to lilac flowers if it’s glad sufficient. These flowers are tiny, nonetheless they variety in clusters alongside the facet of the leaves and their bloom stands out from the narrow-bladed leaves. These flowers could even bear fruit which could variety as a tiny, vivid blue berry on the underside of the foliage. 

Overview

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

What’s Ophiopogon Japonicus?

There are two sorts of Ophiopogon japonicus: a conventional variety and a dwarf variety. The identical previous variety very merely spreads by way of stolons, which is an above-ground runner. This makes it a wonderful selection for an unlimited home that you just simply have to cowl like a shady home the place commonplace turf grasses don’t develop as accurately.

The dwarf variety doesn’t unfold this pattern and grows in dense tufts. This makes it easier to handle and higher fitted to borders or filling in areas between pavers all through the yard.

Native Space

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

Traits

Mondo grass will possible be acknowledged by its collaborating evergreen foliage which seems as darkish green-blue strap-shaped leaves. The flowers are small with six petals and the flower shade ranges from white to pale lilac flowers. It would typically bloom in early summer time season. This flooring cowl is an evergreen that will maintain inexperienced and develop year-round although its progress could gradual all through the winter. This makes a wonderful low-maintenance border plant as it would survive anyplace from full picture 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 seem like blue variations of asparagus berries, which is sensible on account of this plant is all through the Asparagaceae household, which has similarities household of crops as frequent asparagus.

Uncover methods to Develop

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

Light

Mondo grass can tolerate full picture voltaic to full shade, though the best web site for this grass could also be partial shade. In sunny areas, the foliage will fade to a lighter inexperienced, whereas transferring this plant to shady areas will convey out the darkish inexperienced leaves.

Water

As with most crops grown in hotter climates, the precise time of day to water is all through the morning in order that the moisture has a chance to soak into the soil ahead of the warmth of the day can evaporate it. Nonetheless, inside the event you’ve missed this window of various then the second-best probability is to water it all through the evening time.

Take care to keep away from wetting the foliage as it would set off fungal elements. Because of their small dimension and low progress profile, it’s best to water this plant with a drip irrigation system. As shortly as established, these crops are drought-tolerant and will survive the warmth with out fairly a bit consideration. It’s bigger to underwater barely than overwater these crops as they’re furthermore prone to root rot. All through the winter, as their progress slows, reduce the quantity of moisture. 

Soil

This commonplace flooring cowl can survive in a mess of soil varieties and will even be grown hydroponically. This makes it a terrific probability for a border spherical a pond as accurately. It has furthermore been noticed at big space pet shops being offered as an underwater aquatic plant, nonetheless that isn’t advisable for this plant. It would survive completely submerged for a couple of 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 could be grown in containers as accurately so long as they’re full of well-draining soil. It does significantly accurately 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 would get larger from, nonetheless a tough frost will severely set your crops as soon as extra. Because of this, rising this plant in USDA hardiness zone 6-10 will guarantee its survival. 

Fertilizing

One completely different facet that makes mondo grass low repairs is the truth that it doesn’t require any fertilizing in the least. Must you happen to want to provide it a elevate, then a extreme dressing of compost in early spring will almost definitely be ample. In another case, it survives merely unbelievable in quite a few soil varieties and conditions so long as the soil is well-draining. 

Repairs

Pruning shouldn’t be essential 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 conventional turf grasses, it doesn’t need to be mowed and will tolerate delicate foot website online friends. You’ll solely ever need to 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 should have a wide range of sections. Replant every half with a minimal of four-inch spacing and so they’ll ultimately unfold to fill all through the gaps.

Mondo grass may also be grown from seed, nonetheless this plant may be very gradual rising so it would in all probability take some time to get a viable transplant when rising from seed. 

Widespread Factors

As talked about, mondo grass may be very low repairs, shade-loving, evergreen, deer-resistant, and a very excellent border plant. There aren’t many pest and illness elements with this plant, nonetheless there are some points for which to maintain up a watch mounted out. 

Rising Factors

Warmth will possible be an issue for these lily turfs, significantly mirrored warmth from partitions, walkways, and the like. Metropolis gardening will possible be full of pitfalls of this sort in and spherical yard beds or containers. In consequence, it’s advisable all via the summer time season months to supply {{{a partially}}} shaded location away from onerous scapes that may take in and radiate warmth from the picture voltaic. Preserving the soil moist all via scorching native climate might assist your crops address a bit additional warmth. Shade materials arching over beds may also assist reduce 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 occasionally. Must you happen to see holes all through the leaves and so they additionally seem to wilt, then this can be an indicator that slugs or snails are current. Visually take a look at the leaves. When you’ve purchased chickens, it’s a chance to set them free in your mondo grass for some tasty treats. For these of us and by no means using a yard flock, the best plan of movement is a slug and snail bait. There are pure baits comprised of iron phosphate which is more likely to be protected to make the most of spherical wildlife, of us, and pets. 

Sicknesses

Fungal diseases like anthracnose can have an effect on these shade-loving flooring covers. It is a fungal illness that often seems all via 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 right preventative measure will likely be to confirm there’s good air circulation spherical your crops. After a lilyturf is severely contaminated it’s greatest to take away and destroy it to maintain up the fungal an an an infection from spreading to completely completely different lilyturfs. Gentle infections will possible be handled with a copper fungicide.

Mondo grass is prone to root rot attributable to pythium fungal strains that develop in overly-moist circumstances. Since this plant is barely drought-tolerant, it’s bigger to underwater it than overwater it and hazard root rot elements. Root rot is troublesome 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 a minimal of the very best inch of soil all through the roots dry out completely ahead of watering as quickly as additional. 

Generally Requested Questions