Japanese blood grass

Questions about Japanese blood grass

Does Japanese blood grass need sun or shade?

Japanese blood grass grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day) and part sun (4 to 6 hours of sun, including some afternoon sun).

It wants soil that stays evenly moist, of average fertility, and a good soak in dry spells. Once settled in, it stands drought.

What zones does Japanese blood grass grow in?

USDA zones 5 to 9. It is hardy to zone 5, which means it survives winter nights down to about −10 °F (−23 °C).

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

How far apart should Japanese blood grass be planted?

12 in (30 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 18 in (45 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 18 in (45 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many Japanese blood grass plants do I need?

At 12 in apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 12 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 11 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 38 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as a group of three or five, with a second group further along in the other number.

Is Japanese blood grass poisonous to dogs and cats?

No toxicity is recorded for dogs, cats, horses or people, according to NC State Extension.

"Not toxic" is not "edible": a pet that eats a lot of any plant can be sick.

What can I plant instead of Japanese blood grass?

Japanese blood grass is listed as invasive in parts of North America, so the planner never uses it. These do the most similar job, and are native:

• Nodding onion: the same job in a bed; 4 in narrower, flowers early July to early August.
• Iceland poppy: the same job in a bed and the same size; flowers early May to late June, wants average soil.
• Hairy lip fern: the same job in a bed; 10 in shorter, wants dry soil.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat Japanese blood grass?

They may. NC State does not list it as resistant to deer or rabbits. Where they visit, protect it, or plant it among ones they avoid.

Will Japanese blood grass spread?

It spreads sideways, by runners or roots; the risk of it taking over is high. The red form spreads slowly by runners, but it can revert to the green type, cogongrass, which is extremely invasive. The species is a federal noxious weed, and the sale of every form is banned in many states.

It is listed as invasive in parts of North America, and the planner never chooses it.

What does Japanese blood grass look like in winter?

Japanese blood grass turns the colour of straw and, left uncut, stands through the winter. Cut it down in late winter, before the new shoots come up.