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Botanical name: Ophiopogon japonicus ‘Nanus’
Dwarf mounds of narrow dark-green foliage; bell-shaped pale lilac to white flowers in summer followed by bright, sky-blue berries; striking when massed along borders; not actually a grass but more closely related to lilies.
| Hardiness zone | 5b |
|---|---|
| Flower color | lilac |
| Foliage type | evergreen |
| Plant form | mounded |
| Mature height | 4 inches (6 inches with the flowers) |
| Spread | 8 inches |
| Light requirements | partial shade to shade |
| Moisture requirements | average to moist |
| Plant origin | import |
Dwarf Mondo Grass features dainty spikes of lilac purple bell-shaped flowers rising above the foliage from mid to late summer. Its attractive grassy leaves remain dark green in color throughout the year. It produces sky blue berries from early to mid fall.
Dwarf Mondo Grass is a dense herbaceous evergreen perennial grass with a mounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.
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.
Dwarf Mondo Grass is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Mass Planting, Rock/Alpine Gardens, Border Edging, General Garden Use, Groundcover, Container Planting
Dwarf Mondo Grass will grow to be only 4 inches tall at maturity extending to 6 inches tall with the flowers, with a spread of 8 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 6 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.
This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate 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. 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.
Dwarf Mondo 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 mass of flowers and 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.
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