Despite its name, the leaves of Black Mondo Grass appear more purple than black. Neither is Black Mondo grass a true grass. It is more closely related to plant species like agave, scilla, and asparagus. When it comes to plant names, however, it is not unusual for the common name of a plant to be derived from its resemblance to other plants. Club moss, for example, is not a moss and may-apple is not an apple.

The native range for Black Mondo Grass is in Japan where it can be found growing on both open and forested slopes. Its foliage reaches about 8” high and, in our Puget Sound lowlands climate, the foliage stays deep purple all year. (In colder hardiness zones, however, the plant’s leaves may degrade over the winter until they are replaced by new leaves in the spring.) The portion of the leaves closer to the stem will often be green, but the purple ends of the leaves visually dominate. In the summer, small, pale, lilac-colored flowers appear, adding a delicate element to the striking foliage.