Japanese Forest Grass plant profile
Hakonechloa macra
A perennial grass for shade.
Last updated .
When to plant
When to plant Japanese Forest Grass
Japanese forest grass is a slow-growing, shade-loving deciduous perennial grass. NC State says it is best propagated by division in spring and that the foliage should be cut back to the ground in late winter or early spring, so set out new plants or divisions as growth resumes in spring. It grows best in cool-summer climates and may struggle in the hot summers of zones 8 to 9.
The calendar shows this cited seasonal window as an approximate band. It does not convert the season into frost-adjusted dates.
Open Japanese Forest Grass in my garden calendarShows the source-backed planting season, not frost-adjusted dates.
Growing conditions
- Sun
- Shade
- Soil pH
- 4.5 to 8
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Spacing
- 12 to 36 in apart
- Hardiness
- Zones 5a to 9bFind my hardiness zone
Next steps
Continue with Japanese Forest Grass
Evidence trail
Evidence behind this profile
Original extension and institutional publications behind the planting, care, and safety facts on this page.
- Hakonechloa macra (Japanese Forest Grass)
North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox (NC State Extension). Supports general reference. Checked 2026-06-18.