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Last Updated: Jan 10, 2007 - 10:15:57 AM |
Japanese Blood Grass is an outstanding ornamental grass that gets its name from its long, pointed leaves which turn bright red during the summer and retain their color through the fall. This grass also sometimes produces interesting flower clusters which appear in the late summer and have a grayish-white color. The scientific name for Japanese Blood Grass is Imperata cylindrical. Blood Grass looks great planted in borders, in your rock garden, or planted alone in containers. Because this grass spreads quickly by rhizomes it is best planted in containers or controlled by landscape features such as walkways or brick areas. It can become invasive and form a dense sod without proper maintenance. Nevertheless, with a little care Japanese Blood Grass can provide your garden with a spectacular display of color throughout the summer and fall. 'Red Baron' is a common cultivar which grows well in zones 6b-9a.
The leaves of this curious grass can grow to around 12 to 18 inches long and about a quarter of an inch wide. It can spread out to between two and three feet wide. It is considered a slow grower and can tolerate a variety of soils. However, it is best to plant Blood Grass in a well-drained and moist soil. Make sure your soil has plenty of organic material and is a little on the acidic side of the pH scale. Plant your grass in full sun or partial shade. You should avoid extremely hot and dry conditions in order for your plant to grow successfully. A good bark mulch can help keep the soil moist. You can propagate your Blood Grass by division in the early spring.
Japanese Blood Grass has no virtually no issues with diseases and pests, but an occasional slug may enjoy munching on the leaves. The biggest maintenance issue you will have your Blood Grass is that the leaves may revert to green or the plant may become invasive. If you see that your plant has some green leaves, simply remove them as soon as you can. If you notice that seedlings are beginning to pop up around your plant, remove them as soon as possible. The seedlings indicate that the plant is beginning to spread out and may quickly take over your garden. If you happen to have an area in your landscaping that is subject to erosion, you can actually take advantage of this grass’s invasive quality to help deal with your erosion problem.
To maintain an attractive plant through the fall and winter, make sure to clip off the browning leaves as the winter temperatures begin to drop to freezing. Some leaves may preserve a coppery color in the winter so you can choose not to remove them if you’d like to keep a touch of color in your winter garden. In the early spring, it is appropriate to cut back the old growth to about four to six inches.
For more information and a nice photograph, look here: The Kemper Center’s details on Japanese Blood Grass.
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