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Black Mondo grass companion plant?

14 years ago

Last year I ordered several black mondo grasses from Santa Rosa gardens. I have them in my mailbox bed. I really love them! They are reportedly very slow-growing, but mine are coming along better than I expected after reading all the reports of how they creep along.

But I feel like they are not being shown to their best advantage. I have them planted about 12" apart. We used black mulch this year, which as you can imagine did nothing to show them off. I was thinking about interplanting them with some kind of very low-growing groundcover that would show off the black foilage (maybe something like Scotch or Irish moss?).

Does anyone have this? What did you do with it? Should I plant them more closely in a large group? I have about 10 of them. Thanks for any ideas. :)

Featured Answer

Donna

14 years ago

I have mine as an underplanting around chartreuse Chaemycyparis pisifera filifera Aurea. They are stunning together.
I also saw this planted in a pot one time with other purple foliaged plants and a single plant of Diamond dust euphorbia. It was lovely.

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Comments (8)

coolplantsguy
14 years ago
They should eventually close the 12" gap, although it will take several years.

I've had it planted quite nicely with Stachys 'Primrose Heron'. Any other gold or silver foliage on a relatively well-behaved and similarly-sized plant should work well.
aftermidnight Zone7b B.C. Canada
14 years ago
I have mine along the edge of a pool with Carex buchananii and Carex hachijoensis, makes a nice combination.

Annette
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conniemcghee
Original Author
14 years ago
Hmmm...I had not thought of using it with another grass!
spazzycat_1
14 years ago
I can't say I'm really thrilled with this plant. I've used golden creeping jenny as its companion. You also could consider golden oregano. Chartruese companions are your best bet in the SE.
buyorsell888
14 years ago
I have mine with Irish and Scotch moss. I like the contrast in color and texture. It is not a slow grower for me.
mutantplantlover
14 years ago
After 5 years, I've got a nice 4-foot-wide patch of it. Two years ago I picked up some of the white-variegated mondo grass and planted them in a ring around the patch. They've begun growing together now, and it stops people in their tracks. Nice effect.
viola8
14 years ago
Try pairing it with Sedum 'Ogon'.

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