Pruning guide

How to prune black mondo grass

Best time

Late winter to early spring, or as needed

How often

As needed (rarely more than once a year)

Technique

Use scissors to cut individual dead or damaged leaves at the base of the clump. Avoid shearing the whole plant hard; remove only clearly dead material to preserve the ornamental form.

More black mondo grass care

How to prune black mondo grass — our other guide for the same plant
Full black mondo grass care guide
Common black mondo grass problems & fixes
How to propagate black mondo grass
When to repot black mondo grass

Pruning black mondo grass — FAQ

When should I prune black mondo grass?

Late winter to early spring, or as needed. Use scissors to cut individual dead or damaged leaves at the base of the clump. Avoid shearing the whole plant hard; remove only clearly dead material to preserve the ornamental form.

How often does black mondo grass need pruning?

As needed (rarely more than once a year). Black Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens') needs very little pruning. Remove dead or damaged leaves at the base as they appear. Outdoors in late winter you can lightly tidy the clump before new growth starts, but do not shear hard — the slow-growing, dramatic dark foliage takes time to regenerate.

How do you prune black mondo grass?

Use scissors to cut individual dead or damaged leaves at the base of the clump. Avoid shearing the whole plant hard; remove only clearly dead material to preserve the ornamental form.