Hakonechloa Species, Hakone Grass, Japanese Forest Grass

Like wendymadre, I've been told it doesn't grow well in this area. In fact a very comprehensive garden center nearby won't stock it beca...Read Moreuse of this reputation. However, I am doing well with planting it in the ground.
(1) First time I planted H.m. (9 or more years ago) only 1 striped cultivar was available here (from plant sale) -- dark green w/ skinny white stripes. It has flourished and spread considerably but reverted to all green when it came up the year after planting.
(2) Two years ago I found some nice gallons of H.m. 'Aureola' and planted groups of 3 in three different places. The two patchs receiving some sun are flourishing and are spreading wonderfully. The patch in the shade is fine but not growing as fast. The yellow stripes get whiter with sun and as the summer progresses. Absolutely no evidence of reversion to solid color after two springs of re-emerging!

To summarize, I love this plant and am always on the lookout for more (but what I've found since then was skimpy and overpriced).

Petersburg, Virgina, Zone 7. I bought a one-gallon pot of hakonechloa at a plant sale last October (2010). I commented to the vendor th...Read Moreat I had seen it in a lot of magazines but not available locally. He told me that it does not thrive in the ground here, does better here in pots, due to the humidity and clay soil. I left it in its pot out in a semi-protected area and it survived a colder than average winter. Now, in April, I'm potting it on to a twelve-inch pot and hope it will slowly grow so I can divide it.