Imperata cylindrica 'Red Baron' - Care Guide

Blady grass, Cogon grass

This is a rhizomatous perennial grass originating from open grassland in Japan. These are popular ornamental grasses which are easy to grow and much admired for their leaf colours in a mixed or herbaceous border or in containers on the patio. They grow best in warm summers of which we seem to be having plenty of late.

I. cylindrica ‘Red Baron’ is a slow spreading grass with flat linear mid-green leaves of up to 20in in length. The tips and edges of these leaves quickly turn a blood red especially when grown in full sun. Less so in dappled shade. These plants grow best in a well-drained and improved soil with a top mulching over the top of the plants in autumn in colder areas once they have died down and been tidied up for the winter.

The flower spikes appear in August or September and develop into panicles of fluffy silver white spikelets.

Clumps of these plants can very easily be divided up in the spring to create new young plants.
 

Imperata cylindrica 'Red Baron'

Imperata cylindrica 'Red Baron'

Imperata cylindrica 'Red Baron'

Imperata cylindrica 'Red Baron'

Imperata cylindrica 'Red Baron'

Imperata cylindrica 'Red Baron'