FoliageJapanese Forest Grass
Hakonechloa macra
Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra) is a slow-growing perennial, hardy in USDA zones 5-9, that matures to about 1-1.5 ft × 1-2 ft. It does best in part shade with medium water needs in well-drained and moist soil. Expect yellow and green blooms in summer. It stands up well to black walnut, deer and pollution, grows happily in containers.
- USDA zones
- 5-9
- Sun
- Part shade
- Water
- Medium
- Mature size
- 1-1.5 ft × 1-2 ft
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Maintenance
- Low
- Soil
- Well-drained, Moist
- Bloom color
- Yellow, Green
- Bloom season
- Summer
- Tough against
- Black walnut, Deer, Pollution
- Native to
- Japan
In the landscape
Data sources
Freeze survival
Will it survive your winters?
Hardiness zones show a normal bad winter. We check the worst one — Japanese Forest Grass is hardy to about -20°F (estimated from USDA zone 5), so we'll score it against the real coldest nights your area has actually had.
Powered by ~35 years of daily lows from the nearest NOAA weather station. A risk read, not a guarantee — a sheltered spot or mature plant beats the odds.
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