All Gold Japanese Forest Grass

Bright Color For Shady Spots

Add golden drama to your garden beds with the award-winning All Gold Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra 'All Gold'). Known for its vibrant, chartreuse-to-golden-yellow foliage, this shade-loving ornamental grass delivers unmatched color where many plants fade. A cascading, mounded form and lightly arching blades give it the texture of flowing hair, truly a plant with personality!

All Gold Japanese Forest Grass thrives in part shade to full shade gardens, and in cooler regions, can even handle full sun. This warm-season, easy-care accent grass spreads lightly by rhizomes to fill in softly and naturally without becoming invasive. It was even named Perennial Plant of the Year for its dazzling color and low-maintenance adaptability. 

With vivid foliage, graceful form, and wide adaptability, this ornamental grass is a go-to for woodland gardens, modern landscaping, Zen gardens, or wherever you need to brighten dark corners. Hardy in USDA Zones 5-9, this is a deer-resistant, shade-loving, fine-textured groundcover option you’ll return to again and again.

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Key Features

• Award-winning ornamental grass for shade
• Brilliant golden-yellow foliage all season
• Low, mounded form with arching, cascading blades
• Growing up to 24 inches tall and wide
• Spreads lightly by rhizomes but stays compact
• Thrives in full shade to part sun; full sun only in Zone 5
• Low-maintenance and deer-resistant
• Great for containers, edging, mass plantings, and shade borders

Landscaping Uses

All Gold Japanese Forest Grass adds brilliant color and soft texture in low-light areas and shady gardens. Reaching just 18-24 inches tall and wide, it forms tidy, flowing mounds that soften edges and create rhythm in the landscape. Try yours flanking a front door, massed under trees, or playing a starring role in containers; this grass adds pop, polish, and pizzazz!

• Brighten woodland or shade gardens with a golden color
• Line pathways or the front of mixed borders
• Mass under mature trees as a living mulch or shade-tolerant groundcover
• Perfect accent in Asian gardens or Zen meditation spaces
• Great container thriller or spiller in part shade
• Use in foundation plantings for soft contrast
• Excellent for rock gardens in cool climates
• Adds texture to cottage gardens

Care and Maintenance

This is a warm-season, herbaceous ornamental grass that thrives in shade and is surprisingly adaptable to low-light conditions. It's also drought-tolerant once established and grows slowly by rhizomes.

• Planting Time: Spring or early fall is best
• Sun Needs: Full shade to part shade (full sun only in Zone 5)
• Soil Needs: Humus-rich, well-drained soil; tolerates clay if amended; avoid soggy or overly dry conditions
• Moisture Needs: Uniform moisture; mulch well in dry conditions
• Mulch/Arborist Mulch: Apply a 3-4 inch deep layer of arborist mulch to conserve moisture
• Fertilization Needs: Light feeding in spring with balanced, slow-release fertilizer or compost
• Pruning Info: Cut back to a few inches in early spring before new growth emerges
• Division Info: Divide in spring or early fall as needed for rejuvenation or spreading
• Special Needs/Perks/Growing Tips and Tricks for Success:
• Deer and rabbit-resistant
• Tolerant of urban conditions
• Low maintenance

Add a Dash of Gold to Your Shade Garden

Bring "drama in the shade" to your garden beds with All Gold Japanese Forest Grass. This shimmering ornamental grass adds movement, contrast, and unforgettable color in shady areas where other plants fade into the background. With its cascading blades and bold golden hues, it’s the perfect accent for serene meditation gardens, bold borders, or whimsical container plantings.

Order now at Nature Hills Nursery and we’ll ship this golden gem at the right planting time for your growing zone.