How to Trim Zebra Grass

Zebra grass is a vertical growing ornamental specimen often planted as a backdrop to other landscape plants. The blades are very thin and colored green with yellow horizontal stripes, thus giving the plant its name. In the early winter the blades die but turn a light tan to brown color that provides winter interest to the landscape when other plants are completely dead. Zebra grass requires an annual pruning to remove the dead blades in preparation for new growth.

Garden gloves
Ruler or tape measure
Hand pruners
Pruning shears
Rake

Instructions

- 1
  Wait until the late winter or very early spring to prune the zebra grass, after all forecasts of frost have passed.
- 2
  Don gardening gloves and hold back the grass blades. Peer down into the center of the plant to determine if new green blades have emerged from the ground. If there are green blades, take note of their height and do not cut the dead foliage back farther than the tops of the green blades.
- 3
  Place a ruler or tape measure at the base of the plant and measure up to 3 or 4 inches above the ground, or taller if green blades are present. Cut off two or three blades using hand pruners to mark the proper height.
- 4
  Cut the remaining dead blades off at the same height using pruning shears to cut straight across the top. Use the first few cut blades as a guide for the proper height.
- 5
  Rake up the trimmed-off zebra grass blades using your hands or a rake and carry them to the trash can or to a composting area.

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