Mature size & growth rate

How big does Nicholas Hakone Grass (Hakonechloa macra 'Nicolas') get?

Also called nicolas hakone grass, golden japanese forest grass.

More about nicholas hakone grass

About Nicholas Hakone Grass

Hakonechloa macra 'Nicolas' · also called nicolas hakone grass, golden japanese forest grass · flowering

Hakonechloa macra 'Nicolas' is a compact Japanese forest grass with slender green blades that flush brilliant orange, red, and burgundy in autumn. Smaller and more upright than gold-variegated forms, it forms tidy cascading mounds in part shade with moist, rich soil. A standout deciduous grass for fiery seasonal colour in shady borders and containers.

Mature size: 25-40 cm tall and 30-45 cm wide, forming neat mounds over time.

Indoor size vs how big it gets in the wild

Nicholas Hakone Grass stays fairly low but widens over time — it spreads into a bigger clump by offsets, runners or rhizomes rather than shooting upward. Indoors and in a pot, expect 25-40 cm tall and 30-45 cm wide, forming neat mounds over time.. A pot, your light levels and a little pruning are what set the final size in a home, far more than the plant's theoretical potential.

Size here is about width, not height: the plant builds an ever-wider clump or sends out plantlets and runners while staying relatively short.

Growth rate and years to mature

Nicholas Hakone Grass is a moderate grower. Realistically, expect three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. Its feeding profile backs this up: apply a light spring feed of balanced slow-release fertiliser or top-dress with compost. go easy on nitrogen, which produces lax growth and can mute the autumn colouring.

Want this turned into the right next pot at the right moment? The pot size calculator and the nicholas hakone grass repotting guide cover when and how much to size up — pot size is one of the biggest levers on how fast nicholas hakone grass grows.

How to keep nicholas hakone grass smaller

You are not stuck with the maximum size. For nicholas hakone grass specifically, these are the levers, in order of impact:

Divide the clump every year or two — splitting nicholas hakone grass is the main way to control its spread and refresh it.
Remove runners, plantlets or offsets as they appear if you want it to stay a single tight clump.
Keep it slightly pot-bound; a snug pot naturally limits how wide the clump can get.

The keep-it-smaller method, step by step

Lift the whole plant. Slide nicholas hakone grass out of its pot in spring when the clump has filled it.
Split the clump. Tease or cut the rootball into two or more sections, each with healthy roots and growth.
Repot one division. Put a single division back in the original pot to reset it to a smaller size; pot or give away the rest.
Remove offsets as they form. Through the year, detach new runners or pups to stop it spreading again.

How to grow nicholas hakone grass bigger or faster

If you want it to fill the space sooner, push the conditions rather than hoping — for nicholas hakone grass the accelerators are:

Give it a wider pot and let the clump fill it — width is exactly how this plant gets bigger.
Brighter light speeds up clump and offset production noticeably.
Leave plantlets and offsets attached and feed through the growing season for the fastest spread.

Light is almost always the ceiling. The nicholas hakone grass light requirements page covers exactly how bright a spot it needs to grow at its potential instead of stalling.

When nicholas hakone grass outgrows the room (or the pot)

"Too big" usually arrives as one of these signs for nicholas hakone grass:

The clump bulging over the pot rim or splitting the pot — the cue to divide, not to find a bigger room.
A dense centre that goes bare or tired while the edges keep spreading.
Runners or offsets escaping across the shelf or into neighbouring pots.

If it is the pot rather than the room, it is a repotting job, not a goodbye — see the nicholas hakone grass repotting guide. If you want more of this plant instead of a bigger one, the nicholas hakone grass propagation guide turns prunings into new plants.

Nicholas Hakone Grass size — frequently asked questions

How big does nicholas hakone grass get?

Nicholas Hakone Grass reaches 25-40 cm tall and 30-45 cm wide, forming neat mounds over time. when grown indoors. Size here is about width, not height: the plant builds an ever-wider clump or sends out plantlets and runners while staying relatively short.

Is nicholas hakone grass slow or fast growing?

Nicholas Hakone Grass is a moderate grower. Expect three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. Nicholas Hakone Grass stays fairly low but widens over time — it spreads into a bigger clump by offsets, runners or rhizomes rather than shooting upward.

How long does nicholas hakone grass take to reach full size?

Roughly three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. Light, pot size and feeding move that timeline more than anything else.

How do I keep nicholas hakone grass smaller?

Divide the clump every year or two — splitting nicholas hakone grass is the main way to control its spread and refresh it. Remove runners, plantlets or offsets as they appear if you want it to stay a single tight clump. Keep it slightly pot-bound; a snug pot naturally limits how wide the clump can get.

How can I make nicholas hakone grass grow bigger or faster?

Give it a wider pot and let the clump fill it — width is exactly how this plant gets bigger. Brighter light speeds up clump and offset production noticeably. Leave plantlets and offsets attached and feed through the growing season for the fastest spread.