Plant Picks / Japanese forest grass

Japanese forest grass is a graceful, eye-catching must-have ornamental for many a Northwest gardener. Prized for its eruption of neon-yellow blades every spring, it arches into an attractive, shaggy mound in summer. It prefers fertile, rich, well-drained soil in part shade. If given a half-day of sun, this All Gold variety of hakonechloa macra (pictured) will maintain its intense coloring throughout summer. In open, bright shade, it will soften to chartreuse. In full sun, its foliage burns easily or becomes bleached even with additional water. It spreads slowly by rhizomes and can be used as a groundcover. It can also be divided in early spring just before the new foliage starts to emerge. It enjoys supplemental water during summer dry spells. Cut it down in fall or early winter to keep the blades from becoming mushy and hard to snip. Cats and dogs can be particularly fond of this grass and will regularly prune it. It grows to about 15 inches high and 3 feet wide in five years.

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