Yaku Jima Maiden Grass

Yaku Jima is a type of dwarf Maiden Grass, this maiden grass is also called the Japanese silver grass. It is a clump-forming grass that can be found throughout the United States. The dense clump of upward-arching leaves and stems give it a rounded, fountain-like appearance. The leaves have tapered tips with silvery midribs. By mid-fall, the foliage transforms into a beautiful shade of orange and yellow. Once winter arrives, the colors fade into a beige hue.

Along with the brilliant foliage, the Yaku Jima produces feathery red to pink flowers from late August to October. As the seeds mature, the flower panicles turn into a beige color. The foliage and flowers retain their shape and beige tones throughout the winter. This maiden grass provides plenty of winter interest, especially as it peeks out from the freshly fallen snow.

With its delicate and subtle texture, you want to use this maiden grass throughout your landscape. When you place several of the Yaku Jima maiden grasses together, you can create an impressive mass planting. The narrow leaves are the perfect way to add some airiness to your space. When the colors change on the plant, those spaces shine for the fall season.

The Yaku Jima can also be used for a hedge or screen. The dense clumps provide plenty of texture and color contrast to shrub borders and mid-sized perennial beds. If you have issues with semi-shaded spots in your garden, consider this maiden grass for those spaces. It doesn’t need full sun to grow long and thick in your landscape.

This maiden grass is the ideal accent piece near a water garden or dry streambed. With its delicate branches, it brings exceptional color and texture to those water features. You might also want to add this species to a woodland garden or use it as a tall accent in a native meadow. Since it is a dense grass, this is perfect as a ground cover plant. If you have a smaller garden, this Yaku Jima dazzles in those places with limited space.

The Yaku Jima is also great for a container garden. You can place several pots filled with this grass to soften up the look of a concrete patio. With a few potted Yaku Jima maiden grasses near your front doorway, you will create a welcoming sight for visitors. This maiden grass looks spectacular as the thriller in a spiller-thriller combination. You can surround this grass with smaller plants for a majestic look to your containers.

The Yaku Jima maiden grass grows to 3 feet high, and it has a spread of 3 feet wide. It does grow at a medium rate, and you can expect it to live in your landscape for about 20 years. This maiden grass should be planted in USDA hardiness zones 5 to 9. The Yaku Jima does best in partial shade to full sun. You will want to grow it in average to evenly moist soil. It needs enough water to stay healthy throughout the year. This maiden grass must be in well-draining soil. If left in standing water, the Yaku Jima can die. It does not prefer a specific soil pH, but it does its best in richer soils. This maiden grass is tolerant of urban pollution, and it is the perfect option for a city landscape.

This grass does require some occasional maintenance for its upkeep. You want to clean up the plant before the active growing season resumes in the early spring. Many landscapers keep the grass taller in the winter to provide shelter and food for local wildlife.

The Yaku Jima is a great choice for your smaller spaces. With its delicate leaves and fluffy seed heads, it provides four seasons of interest for your outdoor spaces. You will want to add this hardy ornamental grass for your landscaping project. At Arbor Valley Nursery, we can bring this beautiful grass to you. We carry a large selection of products, including the Yaku Jima maiden grass. If you want to learn more about this stunning maiden grass, please fill out the contact form.