Imperata Cylindrica

That looks amazing, very colorful. I'm adding it to my shopping list.

Bathgate - make sure it goes in a sunny spot with some moisture. In shade, it won't colour up.

Thank you both for your comment.

Thank you both. I really appreciate your tip.

It was a wee thing when I bought it but it's spreading slowly but surely. It's got very unique and noticeable colourrings. Love it ♪ I'm sure you'll love it too Bathgate :p

I'm already loving it. Can't wait to see it in my garden. How high does it grow? Do you need to trim it down?

My reference book says about a foot and a half; mine gets up to two and a half feet, so anything between those two I guess. The top growth gets killed off during the winter, so cut it to the ground in early spring, and it will grow again. I've had mine for nearly 20 years now. As Tommy says, you will suddenly notice you had more than you started with after a few years. You can then dig it up in the early spring and divide it.

Mine is about 2 feet.

Andrewr, you've had yours for almost 2 decades?! That's a long time! It must be a huge clump.

It was until I split it up a couple of years ago Tommy.

I hope mine grows so well,Tommy..It was given as a gift a couple of years ago.,so still quite small in comparison..I notice most photo's show it growing in Gravel..mine is in a sunny sheltered border,well drained..would it be better to replant it in my gravel area? It seems to be thriving well in it's present position..

Bloomer - if it's growing well, why move it?

Thanks Andrew..I do like it where it is..:o)

Bloomer:

I bought mine 4 years ago and it was very small. Yours is only a couple of years old then it's too early to think about moving it (in my humble opinion). I haven't moved/split mine just yet, although I put pebbles around it. Please take a look at my photos of this grass taken 4 years ago and 3 years ago if you're interested;

http://www.growsonyou.com/photo/slideshow/177333-imperata-cylindrica/member/tommymoo

http://www.growsonyou.com/photo/slideshow/227398-imperata-cylindrica-red-baron/member/tommymoo

Thanks for all the great advice. Very helpful. You guys really know your business!

I have lost this grass a couple of times Tommy....I grow it in pots now...perhaps my drainage wasnt good enough?

Hi Moti,

So sorry to hear that... :-(

I'm not a perfect person to tell you why you've lost this grass because I don't know much about this grass. I've had mine for only 4 years :o)

But one problem I had is slugs. I sometimes found tiny-tiny slugs, about 1 - 2 mm, eating the grass. Slugs are terrible, big or small.

Very pretty Tomoe.

Thank you Alan ♪
It's definitely one of my favourite grasses ♬

Lovely!
Motinot - the danger of growing this in a border is that it disappears in winter, so could easily be dug up. Most of us grow it in gravel for that reason :)

It's only a small plant you are likely to lose. Once you have a reasonable clump of this, I don't think you are likely to dig it up by accident as the roots are quite dense.

Maybe I should say they're easy to forget in a border because they vanish from sight?!