The striking red leaves of the blood grass create an almost blazing sea of flames. However, in order to underline the fiery personality, the right combination partners should be chosen. But not every plant is predestined for this.
Which plants go well with blood grass for beds and balcony boxes?
In order to effectively combine the blood grass, white-flowering plants such as pearl baskets and candlesticks are suitable for beds, as are foliage of varied grasses such as blue fescue and Japanese gold ribbon grass or autumn flowers such as asters and coneflowers for balcony boxes.
What factors should you consider when combining blood grass?
So that the blood grass can develop its effect in combination with other plants, you should take these factors into account:
- Foliage color: blood red
- Location requirements: sunny to partially shaded, humus-rich and permeable soil
- Growth height: 30 to 40 cm
Due to its location requirements, blood grass should not be combined with shade-loving perennials. In the shade it does not produce its characteristic red leaves. Ideally, place it together with its companion plants in full sun.
Since the blood grass remains relatively small at a maximum of 40 cm, the background of a bed is unsuitable. It should be allowed to stand in the foreground and share space with similarly tall plants. However, you are welcome to place tall grasses or trees in the background.
The blood-red foliage color makes the blood grass look fantastic together with many green, blue-green or gray-leaved plants. Combine it with grasses, foliage shrubs or showy flowering shrubs. The power of the blood grass's foliage color often cannot be surpassed.
Combine blood grass in the bed
Due to its low height, the blood grass should be given its place in the foreground of the bed. There it shines unmistakably together with white-flowering pearl baskets and magnificent candles and at the same time enhances the flower color of the perennials through the resulting red-white contrast. You can also combine it impressively with other grasses.
The following, among others, harmonize excellently with the blood grass:
- Japan gold ribbon grass
- miscanthus
- Pampas grass
- Montbretien
- pearl basket
- Magnificent candle
- wig bush
Combine blood grass with pampas grass
Both pampas grass and blood grass love a sunny and warm location. They both prefer permeable and humus-rich soil and can cope with drought. However, if you choose this combination, you should consider the size of the pampas grass. It grows up to 250 cm high. For this reason, it is important to always plant the blood grass in front of the pampas grass.
Combining Blood Grass with Montbretia
It will be really fiery in midsummer and into autumn if you combine the blood grass with orange montbretias. Until the Montbretia flowering period begins, the leaves of the blood grass are colored fiery red. The bloodgrass variety 'Red Baron' is particularly recommended for this. The interaction between the two plants is simply phenomenal!
Combine blood grass with pearl baskets
A spectacular contrast is created when you place the 'Summer Snow' or 'Silver Rain' pearl basket in the immediate vicinity of the blood grass. This creates a great contrast between red straightness and white fragility. Absolutely lovely from July to October.
Combine blood grass in the balcony box
The blood grass blends in wonderfully in balcony boxes and often provides colorful highlights even over the winter. Combine it in the balcony box with other grasses that have blue or yellow foliage, for example. This creates an exciting contrast. Autumn flowers such as asters and various varieties of coneflower also go well with the blood grass in the balcony box.
These companion plants have proven successful in the balcony box for blood grass:
- Blue Fescue
- Japan gold ribbon grass
- Autumn Asters
- Coneflower
