Hakonechloa macra (Hakone Grass)

Grown for its handsome and eye-catching foliage, Hakone Grass (Hakonechloa macra) is a long-lived, tough, ornamental grass that, unlike most grasses, loves moist shady conditions.

What is Hakone Grass?

Hakonechloa macra, commonly known as Hakone grass or Japanese forest grass, is a beautiful, cascading ornamental grass native to Japan. It adds a unique texture and graceful movement to the landscape with its bamboo-like stalks and flowing arching habit.

• Habit and Size: The plant typically grows to about 18 inches in height and spreads to form a dense mound of around 24 inches wide. Its foliage forms attractive, loose, cascading mounds of gracefully arching, slender leaves that ripple in the slightest breeze. Hakone Grass spreads gently by rhizomes to eventually form a broad, attractive patch.
• Foliage: Its slender, bright green leaves turn attractive shades of gold, orange, and red in the fall, providing a dramatic display of color. In addition to the green-leaved species, several cultivars are available with variegated, golden, or lime-green foliage that add to its ornamental value.
• Flowers: The bloom period of Hakone grass is generally late summer to early fall. Its delicate flowers are small, inconspicuous, and greenish-yellow in color, usually hidden by the leaves.
• Hardiness: This grass is hardy in USDA zones 5-9 but needs protection in colder climates.
• Uses: Hakone Grass is invaluable for adding multi-season interest, color, and texture to the shade garden. Extremely adaptable, there is no end to the uses and plant combinations possible with Hakonechloa macra. This true beauty does wonders as an accent plant or an effective groundcover and looks fabulous along paths, around trees, or in containers. It’s also an excellent choice for creating a soft underplanting for taller, bolder perennials or shrubs.

Hakone grass is that it’s slow growing, so be patient. Once established, it requires little care beyond occasional watering and winter protection in colder regions.