Mondo Grass, Delivered and Planted in SW Florida
Mondo grass is the fine-textured, dark green evergreen for SW Florida shade, making a tidy edge or a no-mow cover under trees. It is not a true grass, it fills in slowly, and it stays low and neat with almost no care. We deliver and plant it in 1 gallon size.
- Light:
- Part shade to shade; hot afternoon sun browns the leaf tips
- Water:
- Low to moderate; looks best with regular water until established
- Salt:
- Low to moderate
Mondo Grass sizes we deliver and plant
Every size below is planted by our crew, set at the right depth and watered in. Send the size and how many, and we text back a planted price, usually within the hour during the day.
| Plant | Sizes |
|---|---|
| Mondo Grass | 1 Gallon |
Mondo Grass in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- 6 to 12 in. tall, forming clumps that spread slowly by underground runners
- Light
- Part shade to shade; hot afternoon sun browns the leaf tips
- Water
- Low to moderate; looks best with regular water until established
- Salt tolerance
- Low to moderate
- Cold tolerance
- Very hardy; SW Florida cold does not hurt it
- Growth rate
- Slow to moderate
- Spacing
- 8 to 12 in. on center
- Florida native
- No, native to East Asia
- Botanical name
- Ophiopogon japonicus
Where Mondo Grass works in a SW Florida yard
Mondo grass makes a clean, narrow edge along walks and around palm and tree rings, fills the joints between stepping stones, and covers shaded ground under oaks where lawn gives up. Its leaves are narrower and finer than liriope's, so it reads closer to a lawn. It pairs with cast iron plant, ferns and philodendron in shade.
- Edging beds and walks
- Shady ground cover under trees
- Joints between stepping stones
- No-mow lawn alternative in shade
How our crew plants it
Remove weeds, loosen the soil and set 1 gallon clumps 8 to 12 inches apart, with the crown level with the soil. Lay a light mulch between plants to hold weeds down, and water in. Under Lee and Collier rules, new plantings can be watered extra, so keep them moist at first before easing back to your assigned days.
Care after planting
- Hand-weed until the clumps knit, because slow growth leaves gaps for weeds.
- Cut it back or mow it high once a year in late winter or early spring to refresh the clumps.
- Water on your assigned days through the dry season, since established clumps tolerate dry spells but brown at the tips in hot sun and drought.
What to watch for
- Scorched, brown leaf tips from afternoon sun and reflected heat are the usual complaint, and moving to shadier ground is the fix.
Mondo Grass questions we hear
Does mondo grass grow in full sun in Florida?+
Not happily. Mondo grass tolerates morning sun, but hot, all-day Florida sun and reflected heat tend to brown the leaf tips. Part shade to shade gives the deepest green and the tidiest look. In a hot, open bed, expect more scorch and more watering than in a shaded one.
What is the difference between mondo grass and liriope?+
Mondo grass has narrower, finer leaves and smaller berries, stays lower, and fills in more slowly, so it looks closer to a lawn. Liriope has wider, coarser blades and grows a bit taller. Neither is a true grass, and both suit shade, so choose by the texture you want.
How far apart should I plant mondo grass?+
Plant 1 gallon clumps 8 to 12 inches apart, center to center. Closer spacing fills a bed faster, but mondo grass spreads slowly by underground runners, so expect a couple of seasons for gaps to close and keep weeding until then.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on Mondo Grass
Tell us what and how many. Quinten prices it from the nursery's live list and texts you back, usually within the hour during the day.
Only need the plant delivered, no planting? It is on our nursery's list at Palm & Plant Co.
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See it in 3D first
We deliver and plant across Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples, Estero, Bonita Springs and about an hour around.