Hakonechloa macra ‘Fubuki’

I was more than a wee bit envious when I discovered that my dear garden friend Deborah had beat me to the punch – she wrote a find article on the merits of all the ‘Hak’s’ and mentioned a new one – Fubuki. Hmmm. Had it actually zipped past my nose, underneath the radar as it were? Indeedly so!

I live for the chartreuse Hakonechloa macra ‘All Gold’ and have wonderful clumps of it popping up everywhere: Along the shaded walk, in amongst the one of a kind specimens of the Rare and Unusual border, and of course in my favourite container, where, when the gods chance to look down upon me lovingly, I am rewarded with a pot of chartreuse [the Hakonechloa] sky blue [my dear but recently absent-minded friend Corydalis flexuosa ‘Blue Panda’] and tips of magenta and pink thanks to the recent discovery of Primula vialii. Now where were we?

Ah yes! Hakonechloa macra ‘Fubuki’ [Japanese translation to Snowstorm] is a sport of H.m Aureola that was discovered by Brigg’s Plant Propagator’s. Although it seems to mimic ‘Aureola’ it saves its coup de grace until Fall when, with the cooling temperatures it takes on delicious tints of pink, later darkening to purple! Sumptuous do you not think! It is also reportedly to be a more compact grass than its parentage – more in the 25-30cm range, making it perfect for edging or in a container. [I must say that it sort of reminds me of a diminutive Chasmanthium ‘River Mist’] As with others of the genus it prefers a partly shaded location with morning and later afternoon sun, with well draining soil. Hardy to Zone 5.

Specs:

Part sun to shade; hardy to Zone 5; 25cm by 30cm; well draining soil; great for edging or as a container specimen.

Coming to LittleTree Spring 2011