Dwarf Mondo Grass Thin

Q: We have a shaded back yard with very little sun. We planted the area with
dwarf mondo grass ten years ago. It looks almost as thin now as when it was
first planted. Can I improve it or should I just replace it with something else?

A: If your mondo grass variety only grows a couple of inches high, it will
spread too slowly to be of much use in shade. Common mondo grass,
Ophiopogon japonicus, spreads easily from individual plants. One mondo
grass variety, ‘Gyoku-ryu’, is extremely dwarf and spreads very slowly. Look
for dwarf mondo grass, Ophiopogon japonicus ‘Nana’. It grows a few inches
taller than ‘Gyoku-ryu’ but spreads faster.