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

This decorative grass is rather like black mondo grass, and genuinely, it’s a direct relative. Whereas black mondo grass is darkish and spooky-looking, the dwarf lilyturf, or simply mondo grass, is a stupendous delicate inexperienced hue and appears good as an accent flooring 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 stupendous species that’s ready to deal with factors that almost all crops can’t stand – like rising beneath black walnut bushes on account of it’s juglone-resistant. It might actually furthermore deal with deeply shaded areas, is proof against salt, and is deer- and rabbit-resistant.

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

Overview

Plant Sort 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 components, root rot

What’s Ophiopogon Japonicus?

There are two sorts of Ophiopogon japonicus: a each day variety and a dwarf variety. The usual variety very merely spreads by the use of stolons, which is an above-ground runner. This makes it a phenomenal varied for an enormous space that you just simply must cowl like a shady space the place typical turf grasses don’t develop as correctly.

The dwarf variety wouldn’t unfold this pattern and grows in dense tufts. This makes it easier to deal with and higher suited to borders or filling in areas between pavers contained in the yard.

Native Space

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 may be 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 colour ranges from white to pale lilac flowers. It may truly often bloom in early summer season season. This flooring cowl is an evergreen that can preserve inexperienced and develop year-round although its progress might gradual contained in the winter. This makes a phenomenal low-maintenance border plant because it’d perhaps survive anyplace from full picture voltaic to shady areas.

It does produce small cobalt blue berries that aren’t poisonous. Nonetheless, there usually are not any acknowledged culinary makes use of for them. The berries look like blue variations of asparagus berries, which is smart on account of this plant is contained in the Asparagaceae household, which is analogous household of crops as widespread asparagus.

Study the best way 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 season season and winter. More often than not, you’ll even uncover it to be care-free.

Gentle

Mondo grass can tolerate full picture voltaic to full shade, though the right website for this grass can also 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 simplest time of day to water is contained in the morning in order that the moisture has a chance to soak into the soil prior to the warmth of the day can evaporate it. Nonetheless, in case you’ve missed this window of various then the second-best choice is to water it contained in the night.

Take care to avoid wetting the foliage as this will likely sometimes increasingly set off fungal components. Attributable to their small measurement 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 somewhat rather a lot consideration. It’s elevated to underwater comparatively than overwater these crops as they’re furthermore vulnerable to root rot. All through the winter, as their progress slows, within the discount of the quantity of moisture. 

Soil

This typical flooring cowl can survive in quite a few soil varieties and may even be grown hydroponically. This makes it an superior choice for a border spherical a pond as correctly. It has furthermore been seen at giant topic pet retailers being equipped as an underwater aquatic plant, however that’s not advisable for this plant. It may truly survive completely submerged for quite a lot 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 might be grown in containers as correctly so long as they’re full of well-draining soil. It does notably correctly on slopes as water drains away from the roots.

Temperature

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

Fertilizing

One completely different facet that makes mondo grass low upkeep is the fact that it doesn’t require any fertilizing in the slightest degree. In case it’s essential to give it a elevate, then a predominant dressing of compost in early spring could also be ample. In another case, it survives merely wonderful in quite a few soil varieties and conditions so long as the soil is well-draining. 

Upkeep

Pruning shouldn’t be obligatory for this plant. It may truly develop till it reaches its mature peak after which give consideration to roots, flower manufacturing, and unfold. In distinction to straightforward turf grasses, it will not must be mowed and may tolerate delicate foot web site visitors. 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 possibly can have quite a lot of sections. Replant every half with on the very least four-inch spacing they often’ll ultimately unfold to fill contained in the gaps.

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

Widespread Factors

As talked about, mondo grass might very nicely be very low upkeep, shade-loving, evergreen, deer-resistant, and a very good 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 fastened mounted out. 

Rising Factors

Warmth may be an issue for these lily turfs, notably mirrored warmth from partitions, walkways, and the like. Metropolis gardening may be full of pitfalls of this kind in and spherical yard beds or containers. As a consequence of this, it’s advisable within the midst of the summer season season months to produce {{{a partially}}} shaded location away from exhausting scapes that can take up and radiate warmth from the picture voltaic. Sustaining the soil moist all by way of scorching native climate may assist your crops deal with a bit additional warmth. Shade supplies arching over beds might 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 contained in the leaves and so they additionally seem to wilt, then this can be an indicator that slugs or snails are current. Visually research the leaves. If in case you may need chickens, it’s a chance to set them unfastened in your mondo grass for some tasty treats. For these of us with no yard flock, the right plan of movement is a slug and snail bait. There are pure baits constituted of iron phosphate which might be protected to make the most of spherical wildlife, folks, and pets. 

Sicknesses

Fungal sicknesses like anthracnose can have an effect on these shade-loving flooring covers. This typically is a fungal illness that often seems within 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 best preventative measure might very nicely be to make sure there may be good air circulation spherical your crops. After a lilyturf is severely contaminated it’s finest to take away and destroy it to care for the fungal an an an infection from spreading to completely completely different lilyturfs. Gentle infections may be handled with a copper fungicide.

Mondo grass is vulnerable to root rot launched on by pythium fungal strains that develop in overly-moist situations. Since this plant is relatively drought-tolerant, it’s elevated to underwater it than overwater it and hazard root rot components. Root rot is tough 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 perfect inch of soil all through the roots dry out completely prior to watering as quickly as additional. 

Continually Requested Questions