Hakonechloa macra, commonly called Japanese forest grass or Hakone grass, is a rhizomatous, shade-loving, deciduous perennial grass that is native both to moist mountain areas including wet rocky cliffs and to moist woodland areas in central Japan, including areas around Mt. Hakone from which both its genus name and common name are derived. Other common names include forest grass and Japanese forest grass. Gracefully arching, linear-lanceolate, bright green leaves (to 10" long and 3/8" wide) form dense, spreading, cascading mounds to 12-18" tall and to 24" wide. Leaves have a papery texture resembling the leaves of some types of bamboo.
‘Aureola’ is a golden-striped form of Hakone grass. It is a rhizomatous, deciduous perennial grass that typically grows in dense spreading clumps to 15” tall and features gracefully arching green leaves variegated with gold longitudinal striping. Yellow-green flowers appear in loose, nodding panicles in mid-summer.
Part-shade, evenly moist soil. Deer-resistant.