Not a true grass at all, these tuberous-rooted perennials from the Ophiopogon genus belong to the asparagus family, Asparagaceae. They grow in attractively dense clumps with gracefully arching, narrow leaves of dark green to black, and are easily cultivated.

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Several varieties are commonly used in the home garden for their handsome, evergreen foliage, easy care, and shade tolerance. These plants grow well in full sun, but they really shine in light shade.

Colonizing slowly, they’re an attractive, non-invasive alternative to traditional sod and turf.

Non-fussy and adaptable, they work in many settings such as beds, borders, containers, geometric plantings, and underplantings, or in gravel, meditation, and Mediterranean gardens. And they work nicely as ground cover as well.

Plus, thanks to their ability to spread, they’re an excellent choice as a sod-forming stabilizer for banks, creek sides, slopes, and general erosion control.

Summer brings small, bell-shaped flowers of lilac or white that bloom on short racemes, producing pea-sized, black to blue berries, cheekily peeking out from the foliage.

An evergreen with a tidy, easy habit, mondo grass spreads by underground stolons or runners and propagation by root division is fast and easy.

Pretty, low-maintenance, and made for the shade – does this sound like an ornamental your garden needs? Then let’s dive in for a closer look at how to grow mondo grass!

Here’s everything we’ll cover up ahead:

What Is Mondo Grass?

flowers plants soil gardening watering ground Lorna Kring