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Japanese Forest Grass recommendation?

4 years ago

last modified: 4 years ago

Zone 6, here. I have a shady spot that gets an hour of late morning sun a day (I'm guessing...kinda ignore this spot of the garden, oops). I'd like to plant some Hakonechloa macra, but can't decide which one. Anyone recommend a strain (All Gold, Aureola, Sunflare, etc) they've grown and like? Pictures are welcome.I have 2 First Frost hostas that I want to plant this grass next to, for those that can recommend how much (or little) yellow tone in a grass would look good with these hostas.

Featured Answer

StevePA6a

4 years ago

I LOVE the 'All Gold' with hosta...and just about any other shade plant! Settles to a nice light green here.

'Aureola' would be my second choice.

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Comments (6)

hl_60
Original Author
4 years ago
Here are pictures of the area in question.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
4 years ago
I'd pick Aureola. Because it has a mix of coloring with the gold variegation, I like the way it blends with both solid green or gold foliaged plants as well as other green/gold variegated......like the hostas. Sunflare could work as well but that would be a firm second choice for me.

I have never been a fan of All Gold. It is just too gold for me (it shouts gold :-)) and I prefer the subtlety of the muticolored variegation of the other cultivars.
hl_60 thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
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A two part question…. I have the variety “Hakonechloa macra Aureola”, but in part sun (morning to 3 pm). I like the color very much where it is; a pale whitish gold, with the slight green striping . It’s starting to move into another perennial and pop up in the midst of it, so I thought I’d tease some pieces out and try it elsewhere. How does it do in full shade? Does it go all solid green to try and maximize chlorophyll and lose its variegation? I thought I’d try it in the foreground of a bed under a pine, but that area receives no direct sun at all, and is pretty dense shade. I grow ferns and hostas there. Second question: I have never had a location where the cascading quality could be used to good effect. My property is also totally flat. How do you other flatlanders use it? Thanks for your suggestions.
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Thanks, gardengal. I'm going to see if I can get in there and slice it out with my garden knife, without having to dig out the entire plant. If it's on the edge of that clump : I have not examined the base that closely. Unless you think better results would be obtained by digging up the whole plant and dissecting it. Of course, it's the plant in the most inaccessible location in this new bed.
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violetsnapdragon
4 years ago
I like the variegated one, too. I had both at my last address (all gold) and only brought the variegated one with me to the new house.
hl_60 thanked violetsnapdragon
hl_60
Original Author
3 years ago
UPDATE: due to pandemic, my options were limited. I went with All Gold and I love it so far!

Mulch is on the way
Nevermore44 - 6a
3 years ago
i love the grass .... but i only seems to like almost constantly damp areas. So i have a nice clump that's next to a small pond and its set it's roots to the water's edge.

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