Japanese Blood Grass is a striking ornamental grass with luminous red foliage that intensifies as temperatures cool, creating a fiery accent in garden beds from late summer through fall. Hardy in zones 5 through 9, this cultivar reaches 24 to 48 inches tall and wide, thriving in full sun to partial shade with moderate water and minimal maintenance. Unlike its invasive wild ancestor, the 'Rubra' selection is significantly less aggressive, spreading slowly by rhizomes and rarely producing seed, making it a manageable choice for gardeners who want dramatic color without the ecological risk.
Partial Sun
Moderate
5-9
48in H x 48in W
—
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
The foliage develops a striking blood-red pigmentation that deepens as autumn arrives, transforming your garden with color that competitors can't match. This cultivar is far less vigorous than the species, spreading more slowly and failing to produce viable seed, which means you can actually enjoy it without worrying about it taking over neighboring plantings. It tolerates drought, poor soils, shade, and even black walnut toxicity, adapting to difficult garden spots where other ornamental grasses would struggle.
Japanese Blood Grass serves as a striking ornamental accent in garden designs, used primarily to naturalize areas where its vivid red foliage creates visual drama through late summer and fall. It works well as a specimen plant or in mixed beds where its color and texture contrast with conventional greenery.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Japanese Blood Grass propagates only by division since the 'Rubra' cultivar does not reliably produce viable seed. Divide established clumps in spring as new growth emerges, separating rhizomes and sections with roots attached. Transplant divisions into well-drained soil in full sun to partial shade, spacing plants 24 to 48 inches apart depending on your desired mature width.
Cut back Japanese Blood Grass in late winter or early spring before new growth emerges, removing all dead foliage from the previous season. This ornamental grass rarely flowers in cultivation (especially the 'Rubra' cultivar), so you won't need to deadhead. Simply trim back to 3 to 4 inches above ground level to rejuvenate the plant and make room for vibrant new red shoots.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
“Imperata cylindrica has an unusual journey that shaped this particular variety. The species is native to Korea, Japan, China, India, and tropical eastern Africa, where it thrives as a functional grass. It arrived in the southeastern United States in the early 1900s, first unintentionally hidden in packing materials shipped with imports, then later introduced deliberately as a forage crop and erosion control plant. What began as a practical grass became one of the world's ten worst weeds due to its aggressive invasiveness in warm climates. The 'Rubra' cultivar emerged as a response to this problem, selectively bred to retain the ornamental red coloring while dramatically suppressing the invasive tendencies that plagued the green-leaved forms. This red variety spreads considerably slower, reaches a shorter mature height, and critically, does not reliably set seed, making it possible for gardeners to grow a visually striking relative of cogongrass without enabling an ecological catastrophe.”