One of the most dramatic-looking of all grasses, Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra' has spectacular blood-red foliage that is stunningly beautiful, particularly when it catches the sun or when the sun is behind it. The translucency of the upright leaf-blades gives its red-colouring the intensity of a stained-glass window that is quite simply breathtaking. The lower half of the leaves are a highly-contrasting lime-green and as the growing season progresses the red colour intensifies and slowly creeps down the blades.

The planting combination possibilities with Imperata cylindrica 'Rubra' are nigh-endless and perhaps limited only by the imagination. It looks stunning with other intensely-coloured grasses like Festuca glauca or the grass-like Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens' and its leaf-blades are also a perfect foil to contrasting foliage-types.

Clump-forming, it spreads by underground rhizomes, preferring a moist humus rich soil and either full sun or partial shade. Dies down in winter and reappears vigourously in the Spring.