Content
Hakonechloa, or Japanese weeping grass (Hakonechloa), is a monocotyledonous perennial plant that is a member of the Poaceae family. It is distinguished by beautiful thin leaves that form a lush tussock that looks impressive and original. The plant remains decorative for a long time throughout the season and does not require complex care. However, planting and caring for Hakonechloa in open ground should be carried out taking into account the basic requirements.
The leaves of the hakonechloa plant resemble bamboo in appearance.
Description of Hakonechloa
Hakonechloa grows naturally only in Japan, namely in the east-central part of the island of Honshu. Found on wet mountain cliffs.
Hakonechloa is a lush, dense bush, in most cases of a regular hemispherical shape with sufficient free space.It has erect shoots and narrow arched linear leaves, up to 50 cm long. The height of Hakonechloa rarely exceeds half a meter. The shade of the plates changes throughout the season. Initially they have a bright green color, which later turns into golden, and with the arrival of autumn it gradually becomes copper-orange. The leaves of Hakonechloa, unlike other cereals, are soft and have a papery texture. Therefore, when the wind blows, they sway gracefully.
The perennial blooms in the second half of summer. The duration of this period depends on weather conditions and can be 2-3 weeks. The bare peduncle panicles of Hakonechloa are usually up to 5 cm long. Initially they have a greenish tint, then they become noticeably lighter and subsequently acquire a brown tone.
When Hakonechloa flowers are pollinated, small, oblong, greenish-yellow, smooth caryopses are formed.
The root system of Hakonechloa is quite powerful and fibrous. Most of the plant's absorbent shoots are concentrated in the top layer of soil.
In one place, the hakonechloa grass can grow up to 10 years
The best varieties with photos
The hakonechloa plant became famous thanks to the Japanese scientist Makito Tomitaro. He first described it in 1930. Subsequently, thanks to selection, new ornamental plant species were obtained that were able to adapt to a temperate climate and successfully winter.
Hakonechloa major All Gold
Hakonechloa large All Gold is a frost-resistant plant. It corresponds to climate zone 5, so the variety can withstand temperatures down to -29 °C.
Its main feature is the bright golden leaves, which add elegance to the plant. They densely cover upright, thin shoots.
Hakonechloa variety Old Gold is suitable for group and single plantings
Hakonechloa major Aureola
The height of the perennial barely reaches 30-36 cm, the diameter of the growth of tussocks is 60 cm. The hue of the plant's foliage is golden, but not as bright as that of the previous species. The plates also have thin green stripes.
With the arrival of autumn cold weather, the leaves of Hakonechloa Aureola acquire a pink tint. At the end of summer, the plant develops yellow-green spikelets.
The Hakonechloa variety Aureola prefers light partial shade
Hakonehloa Beni Case
A medium-sized variety of Japanese grass that forms bushes up to 45 cm high and about 50 cm in diameter. Feels good in sunny places and in partial shade. It has high frost resistance and, judging by reviews, this hakonechloa winters well in the Moscow region under a layer of mulch.
A distinctive feature of the Beni Kaze variety is its wide, pointed, bright green leaves. Closer to autumn, their tips become reddish, and subsequently this shade spreads to the entire surface of the plates.
Hakonechloa variety Beni Case loses color saturation in the shade
Hakonechloa Sunflyer
This is a new variety of Japanese grass that forms round-spherical bushes, 30 cm high and about 60 cm in diameter. The plant is highly frost-resistant, corresponds to climate zone 5. The Sunflare variety has low curved leaves. They have a golden hue and crimson tips. In autumn, the plates change color to burgundy.
Hakonechloa Sunflyer can be planted in open ground and containers
Hakonechloa big Naomi
One of the most spectacular varieties of Japanese grass. Plants reach a height of 40 cm, and the diameter of its bushes is 50 cm. The leaves of Hakonechloa macra Naomi are wide, pointed, and directed almost vertically. Their color combines shades such as green, purple, burgundy, ruby. And with the arrival of autumn cold weather, hakonechloa becomes a bright purple color.
The Hakonechloa variety Naomi is demanding when it comes to watering.
Planting hakonechloa in open ground
Slightly dark areas are ideal for this grass. The plant can develop in deep shade, but in this case the contrasting shade of its leaves is lost. The best option is at the base of bushes and trees, where the soil always remains slightly moist even during prolonged drought.
Site preparation
It is recommended to prepare the site for planting hakonechloa in advance. To do this, you need to dig it up and remove all the weeds. It is also necessary to add 5 kg of humus and 100 g of wood ash per square meter. m of area, since hakonechloa develops better in loose, nutritious soil. After this, the soil surface must be carefully leveled.
Loam and sandy loam soils are excellent for perennial hakonechloa.
Landing technology
It is recommended to plant hakonechloa in open ground in the spring, when the threat of return frosts has passed. Therefore, it is better to do this in the second half of May, besides, by this time the soil has time to warm up, which will speed up the adaptation of plants in a new place. In the southern regions, Japanese grass can be planted in open ground in September.In this case, it has time to fully take root before winter arrives.
Before you start planting the plant, it is recommended to immerse the container with the perennial seedling in water for 30 minutes. This allows you to saturate the roots with moisture and activate metabolic processes in the tissues.
Technology for planting hakonechloa:
- Make a hole with a depth and width of 20 cm. Place a layer of drainage 3-4 cm thick at the bottom. Pour soil on top and add a little compost, mix.
- Carefully remove the plant seedling from the container and slightly straighten its roots. Place the hakonechloa in the center of the hole without deepening it. Cover the roots with soil and compact the substrate at the base of the plant.
- Water generously in small portions as the water is absorbed. The next day, mulch the root circle with peat to prevent the roots from drying out.
Caring for Hakonechloa in open ground
A perennial can grow without much input from the gardener. However, in order to grow lush decorative tussocks of Hakonechloa, it is necessary to follow some rules of plant agricultural technology.
Watering
The garden flower Hakonechloa reacts poorly to drying out roots. Therefore, for full development, it is important that the plant does not lack moisture. It is recommended to water it regularly in the absence of rain 1-2 times a week. To do this, you must use settled water at a temperature of +20 °C. Moisten hakonechloa at the root in the evening.
Hakonechloa should be watered frequently, but in moderation.
Feeding
When planting hakonechloa in fertile soil, there is no need to fertilize it in the first year.In the future, the plant needs to be fed twice per season. Fertilizers should be applied for the first time in the spring at the beginning of the growing season. During this period, you can use chicken manure 1:15 or mullein 1:10. In the absence of organic matter, you can fertilize the plant with nitroammophos at the rate of 30 g per 10 liters of water.
The second feeding of Hakonechloa should be carried out during the formation of spikelets. At this time, it is recommended to use 40 g of superphosphate and 30 g of potassium sulfide.
Trimming
It is recommended to prune hakonechloa in the spring at the beginning of the growing season. This procedure allows you to enhance the growth of the tussock and makes it lush, due to the active growth of new leaves. It is not recommended to prune the plant in the fall, since the withered above-ground part serves as additional protection for the root system from frost.
Wintering
All varieties of Hakonechloa winter well in open ground. To do this in the fall, it is necessary to lay a layer of mulch up to 7 cm thick around its hummocks. For this, you can use peat or humus. It is recommended to cover the top of the plant with spruce branches, which will help retain snow and protect from cold gusts of wind.
In spring, it is recommended to remove the cover at the end of March or at the beginning of April in order to avoid the roots of the hakonechloa from overheating.
Adult hakonechloa bushes do not respond well to transplantation
Diseases and pests
Japanese grass has high natural immunity, so it is rarely affected by diseases and pests. But if the growing conditions are inappropriate, Hakonechloa can be affected by aphids. In this case, it is necessary to treat the plant with Fitover, Actellik or Iskra.
To do this, the working solution must be prepared immediately before use and used throughout the day. During processing, safety rules must be followed.
In addition, during periods of prolonged rains and cool weather, a sharp wilting of Hakonechloa may occur. This happens when the root system of a plant ceases to fulfill its function and nourish the above-ground part. The problem is associated with prolonged stagnation of moisture in the ground. In this case, you can save the perennial by transplanting it to a new place and watering it with a solution of Previkur Energy.
Reproduction methods
You can get new hakonechloa seedlings by dividing the bush and growing from seeds. The first method is considered more common because it does not require complex actions. To do this, it is necessary in the spring at the beginning of the growing season to carefully dig up the bush of the plant from all sides and remove it from the ground. After this, use a sharp knife to cut it into pieces so that each section has several growth points and a sufficient number of roots. Then the seedlings must be immediately planted in a new place, watered abundantly and their root circle mulched.
It is not recommended to divide hakonechloa bushes more than once every five years.
If desired, hakonechloa can be propagated by seeds, but the process is long and labor-intensive. And since the cereal sprouts are very tender at the initial stage, it is best to sow at home in mid-April. To do this, you need to prepare a cassette with drainage holes. Planting hakonechloa seeds in one common container is unacceptable, since seedlings at an early stage of development react poorly to damage to the root system.
It is also necessary to prepare special soil for plants.It should consist of turf, peat, humus and sand in a ratio of 2:1:1:1. It is recommended to mix all components thoroughly until a uniform composition is obtained. The resulting substrate must be filled into the cells of the cassette and watered generously. After absorbing moisture, the seeds need to be spread out and lightly pressed into the soil. After this, it is recommended to spray them with a spray bottle.
After planting, the cassette should be covered with a transparent lid and moved to a bright place with a temperature of +25 °C
Every day the crops must be ventilated for half an hour and at the same time remove the accumulated condensate. If all conditions are met, the first sprouts of Hakonechloa begin to emerge in 7-15 days. After the rapid emergence of seedlings, the cassette must be moved to the windowsill, the maintenance regime reduced to +20 °C and illuminated in the evening with a phytolamp for three to five hours a day.
After two weeks, the hakonechloa seedlings must be adapted to external conditions and the transparent cover must be completely removed from it. When the seedlings get stronger and grow noticeably, they need to be transferred from the cells of the cassette into pots with a diameter of 9-10 cm, without violating the integrity of the earthen ball at the roots. The substrate for transplanting hakonechloa seedlings can be used the same as when sowing seeds. After the procedure, the seedlings must be kept in a slightly shaded place for two days so that they adapt, and then transferred to a bright windowsill. The first feeding of Hakonechloa seedlings should be done at the age of one month. The Kemira Lux complex mineral fertilizer is suitable for this. You can transfer the seedlings to a permanent place in open ground in early autumn or next spring. When they are strong enough.
Hakonechloa in landscape design
This spectacular herbaceous plant can fit perfectly into any landscape design. It is especially difficult to imagine a Japanese garden without it. Hakonechloa can be placed at the front of borders, along the edges of flower beds, on slopes, near shaded terraces, and near ponds. This perennial looks great among plants near rocky buildings and on alpine hills.
Japanese grass goes well with garden crops with dark green leaves
The best companions for Hakonechloa are the following plants:
- ferns;
- boxwood;
- clasps;
- blue hostas;
- hellebores;
- astilbe;
- heuchera;
- hydrangeas;
- cuffs;
- aquilegia;
- pachysandra;
- spring bulbous.
Conclusion
Planting and caring for hakonechloa in open ground is not difficult if you familiarize yourself with the requirements of this crop in advance. Therefore, when choosing this plant, you can be sure that it will become one of the decorations of the garden, which will delight you with its spectacular appearance throughout the season.
Reviews about growing hakonechloa
