Imperata cylindrica / Japanese Blood Grass

This striking ornamental grass is known for its brilliant crimson leaves. It produces upright, bright green blades whose upper half turns cranberry-red in summer and deepens to burgundy until late fall before going dormant in winter. Rarely producing flowers resembling cylindrical spikes, its narrow panicles of silvery-white spikelets appear occasionally in late summer. The main charm of this grass is its vibrant foliage. Tolerant of poor soil and drought, it thrives in full sun to part shade and well-drained soils. Spreading by rhizomes and being an aggressive grower, it is ideal for use as an accent plant, in borders, or massed as a ground cover.