PlantFiles: Cogongrass, Cogon Grass, Satintail, Japanese Blood Grass
Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra'

I know it is invasive in the deep south but does anyone know if this is true for zone 6a also? I am wondering if it would be as invasive here since we have colder winters then they do in the deep south.

It is a beautiful grass but unfortunately it is an invasive species. It has officially been banned in North Carolina as well, all growers must have it out of their inventory by August '08.

I work in a nursery and know it can be very invasive when it is not property taken care of. I have 2 patches in my yard and with chopping them to the round late fall, they stay compact and do not spread but more than an inch? if that? I also have a very lush garden and am known as a "packer" in the nursery.. there is always room.
You can contain it best by surrounding it with plants sll around it.
Mine is in its 5th year!! and is doing great! The tips are getting more and more vivid as I go along.
Possibly if it is "invasive" in your area.. may be due a lot more sun that here on the eastcoast and down south :)
and with no crowding from other plants as a "barrier" in some places. May be bamboo barrier?
My best suggestion is to pack it in the ground very tight, and cut all the way back to the ground in Fall. Or bamboo barrier.
One more good thing to try:
River rock pebbles
works great!
Dig a fairly large hole, if you are starting with a blood grass in lets say a gallon pot, you want to get A CONTAINER SIZE YOU WANT THE OVER ALL GROWTH TO BE! .It grows fast, so just to your liking, the area yo have room for... (FYI.. you can get the pots that nurserys use for free in a recyclng bin or for very cheep. You want to use plastic, this will be the barrier. NO teracotta!!! Then!
PUT "PLANTING MIX SOIL IN THE CONTAINER", NOT not potting soil.. you csn find "planting mix st reliable nurseries and major chains, like Fred Meyers, Home Depot, Lowes.
the fun part :)
Take the plant out of its original container and gently massage the roots so they will spread with ease. With the potting mix that was ALREADY in the container, place your new plant in the new bigger pot, using the remaining soil and the new planting mix. Pack firmly are make sure the grass is upright.

Now! That the plant is in its larger container!
Now this hole will be large. You want to place your container with plant inside, and dig out with a shovel about 2-4 inches all the way around and about 4 inches below the bottom of the plant. fill in this "gap with gravel between dime and quarter size Pack in all around...The grass should be level now and you can place a layer of top soil, anything so you dont see the rim of the container.

When it started to get bigger, You can tame by sheering downward, taking out the plant from the larger container to CAREFULLY" cut back the roots, add new soil mixture.. and cover again! Problem solved

Happy gardening :)
W~

This plant is very dangerous to our ecosystem! It's taking over the south & now banned in South Carolina. It chokes out native vegetation & burns very easily & very hotly.

Clemson University is coming out very strongly against it, and looking for help in eradicating it.

If there were any plant on the entire planet NOT to plant, this one would be it, folks. It is incredibly invasive and capable of devastating local ecosystems because it outcompetes important native species. Its roots may also emit toxins that will kill other plants in your garden.

I have found that "Red Baron" does spread, but very slowly here in zone 5.

They are available as propogated plants through a few growers online. I was actually able to find on on Ebay.
On this topic, I did find out that it is quick to take over many the area it is planted in, as well as being virtually invulnerable to herbacide to get rid of it. I guess you could put this in a class with bamboo. Once it's in the ground, you are stuck with this plant coming up all over that area.
On the plus side, it is beautiful and will gain you much praise and inquisitive remarks by visitors to your garden.
My best advise is to put this in a planter or fixed seperated area only. I'm currently growing this in a seperate rectangular area surrounded by concrete (along my driveway). It works well when contained.
Ahh, one more thing... I recommend removing plantings that turn out only green. They are a related and dominant version of the plant and will eventually take over. The point of this plant is the beautiful red turning leaves.

Japanese Bloodgrass prefers a constantly moist, full sun location to do its best.When given these conditions, it will provide you with all the color you want. I have not found it to be invasive in Zone 8.

I like this grass a lot, but I had to corral it in a pot to make it look good. It kept spreading out with runners, and not bunching into a big enough puddle for the red to be pretty. It keeps growing here in 4b, but slowly. Nice red tips all season, and glows in the fall. See pix.

This is a very invasive plant in 10a, planted a 1 gallon container and six months later it had spread to about 10 square feet. 3+ years later I am still trying to completely eradicate it.

Japanese Blood Grass is easy, plant in average well drained soil in sun to light shade, and enjoy. It flowers foxtail plumes above the leaves in September in central Florida, nice tan over maroon effect. I will cut it back to about 6" in another month or so, to enjoy fresh foliage all winter here.

This is a great looking plant. Everyone comments on it. It almost doubles in size each year, which is fine with us. We have it planted by red ground sedum and a Japanese Maple.
Being in zone 5 we winterize it very well, with a styrofoam box with leaves packed in it. It's our 3rd season with it so it should be very well established.