Plant library · Ornamental Grasses
Imperata cylindrica
Japanese Blood Grass is a compact perennial ornamental grass with upright blades whose blood-red tips strengthen toward fall. At about 18 inches tall and wide, it reads as a small, vertical foliage accent rather than a screen or large backdrop plant. Its late-summer to early-fall bloom period can add brief seasonal interest, but the foliage is the main reason to reserve it a visible place in the plan.
Use it near the front or middle of a sunny border, where its narrow upright form can punctuate lower, broader plantings without blocking a view across the bed. A short run beside a path, patio edge, or bed corner makes the red-tipped foliage easy to see at close range. Keep its planting area distinct from open lawn, naturalized ground, and loosely managed borders so its spread can be watched and addressed.
Allow an 18-inch center-to-center spacing for a connected small-scale drift. Each plant can occupy about a 1½-foot-wide footprint at maturity, so a single row needs a clear strip rather than being squeezed between stepping stones or crowded against larger perennials. Leave a reachable edge along at least one side of the group for division, removal, and monitoring.
Place Japanese Blood Grass in full sun, where its upright foliage has room to stand clear of neighboring plants. Give it moderate water and avoid assigning it to a bed designed around prolonged drought or a site that regularly stays wet. In a mixed planting, group it with plants that can share regular watering without casting heavy shade over the clump.
The red coloration intensifies in fall, so position it where the late-season shift remains visible after earlier flowers fade. Its late-summer to early-fall bloom window can extend the bed’s activity into autumn, but leave enough open space around the foliage for the color and upright outline to remain legible from the path or seating area.
This species can spread aggressively by rhizomes and is considered invasive or restricted in parts of the United States. Do not place it near unmanaged edges, woodland margins, drainage corridors, or areas where it could escape routine maintenance. Use a contained, regularly inspected planting zone, and confirm local restrictions before adding it to a garden plan; avoid sites close to a home because dry growth can present a high fire risk.[1][2]
Editorial content updated 2026-07-20.