Monkey grass is an evergreen, small grassy plant that looks similar to the turf and is primarily used as a groundcover. Monkey grass is also known as mondo grass. Monkey grass is a sod-forming perennial that grow 8 to 16 inches in height. Monkey grass is native to Japan. Mondo grass grows well in ordinary garden soil with full sunlight. Plants growing in the shade have dark green leaves. Monkey grass is an attractive plant for creating borders for flower beds and is also used for edging walkways. Monkey grass makes an excellent ground cover for shady areas. Mostly, Mondo grass is confused with liriope and both are members of the Lily family. Monkey grass can grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 to 11. Mondo grass blooms in late Spring and early Summer. Propagate by dividing large clumps.
Monkey grass can be perfect for the lane or the path in your outdoor garden.
One of the interesting features of the monkey grass is that monkey grass produces a blueberry which is about 5 mm (0.2 inches) in diameter. Mondo grass is used in traditional Chinese medicine.
What Is Monkey Grass: Mondo Grass Caring & Uses
Some of the other popular names for Monkey grass are mondo grass, fountain plant, dragon’s beard, and snake’s beard. Black mondo grass doesn’t require any specific fertilizer.
Facts About Monkey Grass
| Botanical Name | Ophiopogon japonicus (Derived from ophis = snake, and pogon = beard) |
| Common Names | Monkey grass, black mondo grass |
| Native Area | Japan |
| Sun Exposure | Full sun (Plants growing in the shade have dark green leaves) |
| Soil Type | Moist, well-drained (Mondo grass grows well in ordinary garden soil, requiring minimum attention) |
| Soil pH | 5.5 to 6.5 |
| Bloom Time | July to August |
| Flower Color | Pink |
Common Disease On Monkey Grass
A fungal disease known as anthracnose is the most common disease on monkey grass.
Summary: This much for now on “What Is Monkey Grass: Mondo Grass Caring & Uses” post. We will regularly update this article and please feel free to share your experience of growing this plant and also share us some tips.
