Mondo Grass – Ophiopogon Japonicus Plant Care tips

Mondo Grass – Ophiopogon Japonicus Introduction

Mondo grass, a native from Asia, is a hardy and incredibly resilient plant that makes a great groundcover or stand-alone grass in shady areas of your garden. It is also known as monkey grass, although in Australia that name is uncommon. But don’t be deceived by its name, it is not a true grass, it is actually a member of the lily family, though it does have strappy leaves and a clumping habit that looks like a grass. It is a great low-maintenance option, a popular choice grouped around paving as it maintains a low profile, doesn’t require mowing or trimming and has a beautiful dark colour that makes pavers pop while simultaneously creating a softer, more natural feel.

Types of Mongo Grass

Common Mondo Grass

This is the most commonly available mondo grass. Popular due to its deep green spiky leaves and compact growth habit make it perfect for fitting into those cracks in pavers, around garden edges or in pots to fill out the bass and add elegance to the garden.

Black Mondo Grass

Just like its name implies, Black Mondo Grass has a dense purple-black foliage that provides a strong contrast for garden beds, borders and container gardens. It produces deep lavender flowers followed by purple berries.

Dwarf Mondo Grass

Dwarf mondo grows half the size of regular mondo grass. It creates lush, dense, dark green leaves and spreads very slowly. Use it as a living border edge or plant it among stepping stones.

Variegated Mondo Grass

Variegated Mondo grass pops in the landscape with its deep green leaves and silvery-white margins that brings strong color contrast to the other greens in the garden.

Mondo Grass Soil & Drainage

Mondo grass is an incredibly tough plant. It can thrive in essentially any soil type. If planting it in a container make sure the soil is well-drained and a moisture retaining soil.

Mondo Grass Lighting and Position

Plant Mondo grass in a shaded or partly sunny area. It works great under a tree and can be used to fill in those bare areas of your garden.

Mondo Grass Watering

New plants need regular watering, a few times a week to keep moisture in the soil and help them establish roots. Once established, you can water mondo grass once a week. This plant is drought tolerant but will thrive when its soil is kept moist. But make sure not to overwater as it may lead to root rot and possible die off.

Mondo Grass Fertilizer

Mondo grass needs very little fertilizing, feed them a liquid fertilizer once a year to encourage faster growth.

We recommend using our Plant Food available here. 

Mondo Grass Plant Pruning

Pruning is necessary if you want to prevent spreading of the vine all over the garden. Prune once in a while to keep things under control. To make your Hardenbergia fuller and encourage better blooming of flowers do a regular trimming of leaves and branches.

Mondo Grass Propagating

You can separate clumps into sections and replant the clumps throughout your garden. It is recommended to plant them 10cm apart.

Mondo Grass Toxicity for Pet

Fortunately for your furry friend, Mondo grass is non toxic. However, it does have some irritating properties.

Mondo Grass Pests and Diseases

Mondo grasses can be prone to snails, slugs and scale. This plant can also have fungal disease. You can apply some pesticides to prevent the problem.

For more information on how to manage common plant pests, head to our blog here.

Mondo Grass Design tips

Most often this plant is used to line flower beds and trees, rock gardens, and works perfectly to add some dimension to your garden. You can alternate the different types of Mondo grass, such as common, dwarf, variegated, common and black variety to create patterns and interest. They look fantastic around pavers where larger grasses can line the path and create some interest with varying heights, texture & Colour. This plant is also fabulous when planted in containers, you can plant it with begonias, ferns, sedum or any other perennials plants that prefer well-drained soil.

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