Aureola Japanese Forest Grass
Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola'
Height: 18 inches
Spread: 18 inches
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 5a
Other Names: Golden Variegated Hakone Grass
Brand: Proven Winners
Description:
A spreading ornamental grass that produces mounds of arching green and gold foliage; great for shady borders, beds and containers; can be used as shaded groundcover; easy to grow and low maintenance
Ornamental Features
Aureola Japanese Forest Grass is primarily valued in the garden for its cascading habit of growth. It attractive grassy leaves are green in color with showy gold variegation. The foliage often turns tan in fall.
Landscape Attributes
Aureola Japanese Forest Grass is a dense herbaceous perennial grass with a shapely form and gracefully arching stems. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.
This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and usually looks its best without pruning, although it will tolerate pruning. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Aureola Japanese Forest Grass is recommended for the following landscape applications;
- Mass Planting
- Border Edging
- General Garden Use
- Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
- Container Planting
Planting & Growing
Aureola Japanese Forest Grass will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 18 inches. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 15 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!
This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It requires an evenly moist well-drained soil for optimal growth, but will die in standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.
Aureola Japanese Forest Grass is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It is often used as a 'filler' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, providing a canvas of foliage against which the thriller plants stand out. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.