How big does Japanese blood grass 'Red Baron' grow?

About 60 cm × 1.2 m after ten years (height × width).

What soil does Japanese blood grass 'Red Baron' grow in?

It tolerates these soils: average garden soil, clay, sandy.

Is Japanese blood grass 'Red Baron' hardy?

Hardy down to -23 °C (USDA zone 6, RHS H7). It gets through winter everywhere at lower altitudes, but may not survive unprotected in a mountain garden.

How much water does Japanese blood grass 'Red Baron' need?

Water need: medium. Drought tolerance: medium.

How much does Japanese blood grass 'Red Baron' cost?

It sells for roughly €5 to €9.70 in local shops, depending on size.

Japanese blood grass 'Red Baron'

Imperata cylindrica 'Red Baron'

Japanese blood grass 'Red Baron' (Imperata cylindrica 'Red Baron') is an ornamental grass that reaches 60 cm × 1.2 m after ten years. Light: full sun, part shade. Hardy down to -23 °C. Drought tolerance: medium. Sold in local shops from about €5.

Illustration of Japanese blood grass 'Red Baron' — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

A low, upright grass whose leaves emerge green and turn red from the tip downwards, ending blood red by autumn. It looks best in groups with the light behind it and colours best in sun, but wants moist, well-drained soil. It creeps slowly by rhizomes and hardly ever flowers: dig out any taller, pure green shoot at once, because that is a reversion to the strongly spreading wild form.

Watch out for

In Central Europe its winter hardiness is borderline: mulch young plants in their first winters and plant in spring so they root in before the cold. It rots in wet, heavy soil in winter and sulks and fades where it stays dry. Always remove shoots that revert to green, since they grow taller and spread far more aggressively.

Key facts

Light: Full sun, Part shade
Water need: Medium
Care: Medium
Size after 10 years: 60 cm × 1.2 m
Hardiness: down to -23 °C
Foliage: Deciduous

Group	Ornamental grass
Light	Full sun, Part shade
Size after 10 years	60 cm × 1.2 m
Ultimate size	30–60 cm × 0.3–1.2 m
Hardiness	down to -23 °C (USDA 6, RHS H7)
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy
Foliage	Deciduous
Flowering	no data
Water need	Medium
Drought tolerance	Medium
Maintenance	Medium
Root aggressiveness	Low
Suckering	no
Spreading	Medium
Distance from buildings	no data
Distance from paving	no data
Litter	not typical
Planting distance	35 cm
For dogs	no data
For cats	no data
For children	no data
Typical price	from about €5

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

Sizes and prices available

The same plant is sold as a small pot and as a specimen several metres tall, and the price follows. Prices are rounded and for guidance only.

Size	Typical price
10-15 cm	approx. €5
20-40 cm	approx. €9
size not stated	approx. €9.70

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 13, 2026 · How our data is made

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