I've grown hakonechloa macra albostriata and aureola for over 15 years with no hardiness problems with either, though I've lost a lot of supposedly hardier grasses in that time frame.

kms

I've grown it gold/green variety for year - no problem. They use at the arboretum and at noremburg gardens a lot. It is a bit slow to get going.

Last year I planted the all green straight species, hoping it would be a bit more vigorous. It might have been, but rabbits at it back several times this spring.

I think this is a Z4 plant and Mpls is mostly Z5 anyway. Go for it!

Ted

Gold, green and variegated are all hardy for me in South Minneapolis. I use oak leaf mulch on some but not all, and the unmulched clumps have always pulled through, including a couple of winters back when January went from 40 to -10 with no snow cover.

You will really enjoy this grass. It takes a couple of years to become a large clump, but even when it's small it is beautiful.

Laura

Many people grow it here, and also many people have problems. So it may or may not work for you. All Gold has been around for a while now, and yes, I do find it hardier than the variegated types. Al Gold produces many flower (seed) heads, and I think they are very ornamental. Leave them grow and see what you think.

I'm one of the people who has had trouble growing it. Have not been able to get it to survive a winter in my gardens. But I'm out on the prairie with lots of wind to dry things out. I know of several people who grow it with no problem.