Description:

Tiny, black-green tufts of leathery foliage are slow growing; tiny, pale lavender flowers and following berries are often hidden from view; an effective, rich groundcover for Zen gardens; not actually a grass but more closely related to lilies

Ornamental Features

Kyoto Dwarf Mondo Grass's attractive small glossy grassy leaves remain dark green in color with hints of black throughout the year on a plant with a spreading habit of growth. It features subtle spikes of lavender bell-shaped flowers dangling from the stems from early to mid summer. It produces sky blue berries from late summer to early fall.

Landscape Attributes

Kyoto Dwarf Mondo Grass is a dense herbaceous evergreen perennial grass with a ground-hugging habit of growth. 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 is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Kyoto Dwarf Mondo Grass is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Kyoto Dwarf Mondo Grass will grow to be only 3 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 12 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 10 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. This plant should not require much in the way of fertilizing once established, although it may appreciate a shot of general-purpose fertilizer from time to time early in the growing season. 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. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Kyoto Dwarf Mondo Grass is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.