The general answer is yes..Hakone grass can be divided. Unfortunately, this is the wrong time of year to do it. Division should be done in spring or fall, but never in summer. It's a cool season grass, and will probably be blooming soon, and the combination of blooming and summer weather really reduce the chance of the divisions surviving. Further...Hakone is only hardy to zone 5, and iffy there.

I've seen it growing in the Twin Cities and I have a friend growing it "in town" in my area. I have not been successful in growing it. I'm on the edge of the prairie and get a lot of wind. Even my most sheltered spots are windy. I'm not sure if it was the winter winds that did it in or if just didn't stay moist enough or a combination of the two. Either way I lost two of them and have pretty much given up on it for now. Good luck, whatever you decide.

Wendy, your H. 'albo-striata' IS more upright than 'Aureola' before the arching begins. Now that I see your plant the difference is actually quite considerable. When I Googled...the two looked almost identical except for coloration. Yours also appears to be taller. I'll be back in a minute...I'm going out to measure... OK, I stuck the measure stick directly through the foliage to the ground. EXACTLY 12" tall. We planted 18-20" on center & the hedge's foliage is completely filled-in although the roots remain about a foot apart. Last fall, about 1/3 of my plants bloomed for the first time. The inflorescences were buff-colored & only about 6-8" above the foliage. I wouldn't call the inflorescences striking but they were a nice fall accent to the hedge. It also remains attractive all winter since we only get 12" of snow or more once every few years. Some prices at our garden centers were down this year compared to '06; but, alas...not h. "Aureola'. /T

Thanks Babs, Yes I remember her pics. This was not a planned combo as I planted the grass and hosta before the aralia had emerged (oops lol). They were planted as part of a combo in the opposite direction. I can easily move the grass and hosta if need be. But at the rate the aralia is growing, it may be years down the road lol. It did catch my eye coming around the corner and that’s when I had to get a pic. So...I’ll just enjoy the ‘unplanned surprise’ combo while it lasts ;0) Sure wish I had more of those!