Pennisetum - Fountain Grass
Pennisetum | Fountain Grass, incredible feathery flower plumes, up to 12 feet tall, invasive in warm weather states.
| Pennisetum | Perennial |
|---|---|
| Bloom Time | Summer - Early Fall |
| Light | Full Sun |
| Water | Average to Rich - Well Drained Soil |
| Diseases | rust, eye spot, and leaf spots |
| Pests | Relatively Pest Free |
| Propagation | Divisions, Seeds |
| Color | White, Pink, Tan |
| Zones | 6 - 11 |
| Features | Flowers, Attractive Foliage, Fall Color, Winter Interest, Cut Flowers, Dried Flowers, Attracts Birds, Drought Tolerant, Deer Resistant, Easy to Grow |
Pennisetum - Hamlin Dwarf: One of the best dwarf fountain grasses for mass plantings.Seed heads appear in July and open greenish-white, turning a creamy-tan with maturity. Prefers well draining soil.
Cautions about using Fountain Grass in warm climates: These plants are considered "invasive species" in certain areas of the country. Therefore do not plant the Fountain Grass in certain parts of California or in Hawaii.
When used in the cold weather states, the plants stays relatively in check and will not give you nearly as many invasion problems. Just keep your eyes out for seed sprouts.
All species of Fountain Grass are considered invasive and will take over an area very rapidly in the warm weather of Hawaii and California.
Like so many grasses, this one is spectacular when backlit by the rising or setting sun. Named for its especially graceful spray of foliage, fountaingrass also sends out beautiful, fuzzy flower plumes in late summer.
The white, pink, or red plumes (according to variety) continue into fall and bring a loose informal look to plantings. This plant self-seeds freely, sometimes to the point of becoming invasive..
Although it can tolerate a bit of shade, the Fountain Grass definitely needs almost full sun to do it's best.
Propagate by division in spring or early summer, or by seeds in early spring. Some species self-seed at high rates.
Pennisetum - Black Ornamental Fountain Grass: A showy and adaptable grass, this perennial variety forms cascading clumps of glossy green leaves. Long, dramatic, deep-purple to nearly black flowers bloom on arching stems from late summer to fall.
The foliage turns golden-orange in fall and bleaches to beige by winter. The foliage and dark seed heads remain of interest into winter. Adds drama to borders and to mass plantings. Flowers are ideal for arrangements.
Fountain Grass look great when planted in mass planting for an entire portion of the border. It make for a wonderful ground cover in the cold weather states.
Do not plant in wild or naturalized area since it is likely to completely take over.
Feathery, bottlebrush or bushy, foxtail like seed heads. Annuals and hardy and tender perennials.
Clump forming grasses. Grows best in full sun. Works well as part of a border or rock garden. The spikelets make nice additions to a fresh or dried flower ensemble.
Daylily:
The colorful daylily flowers in reds, gold, yellows, and purples are a beautiful contrast with fountain grass. They thrive in the same conditions.
False Sunflower:
The brilliant yellow and golden daisy flowers of false sunflower are cooled down when planted close to fountaingrass and together they create a meadow look in full sun.
Dahlia:
The wonderful assortment of dahlia flowers in all colors and shapes lose some of their stiff formality when planted with fountaingrass. Both prefer full sun.
Fountain Grass Pennisetum: A showy ornamental with slender, 2-foot leaves and silvery-rose flower plumes borne from July through September.
A robust performer in the garden, this rare grass provides many years of graceful garden beauty, as well as a wealth of material for cutting.
Red Buttons Fountain Grass (Pennisetum messiacum 'Red Buttons'): ‘Red Buttons’ is a dwarf variety that bears burgundy-red "foxtail" plumes, contrasting with its the bright green foliage. Flowering height is 24 to 30”. It grows well in sun to light shade in moist soil. Zone 7-9.
Cream Falls Fountain Grass (Pennisetum villosum 'Cream Falls'): Cream Falls Fountain Grass (Pennisetum villosum 'Cream Falls') A stunning grass, Cream Fall Fountain Grass ( Pennisetum villosum 'Cream Falls' ) develops abundant, graceful creamy white bracts all summer. Terrific for a border, cut or dried arrangements, or in containers. Like full sun to part sun in moist, well drained soil. Zone 8-10.
Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides): Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides) This is truly one of the best grasses for use in landscaping. It is excellent for a specimen plant, for a screen, as an accent plant in the perennial border or to add interest to a water garden.
It does best in a sunny location. The plants turn orange or brown with the first hard freeze in the fall. The flowers are excellent for dried arrangement or for dyeing. Tolerates wet soil. Full sun to half shade. Flowers 6-8 inches, inflorescence cream white.
Black Seeded Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Moudry'): Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Moudry' This variety is 3 feet tall. This fountain grass has slightly wider and glossier leaves than the species. Its dark bottle brush plumes retain their showiness until late in the season. It is excellent for a specimen plant, as an accent plant in the perennial border or to add interest to a water garden.
It does best in a sunny location. Tolerates wet soil. Full sun to half shade. Flowers 10-12 inches, blackish foxtail inflorescences. September - October. We did notice many seedlings, which could make this pennisetum invasive. Zone 6-10. Zone 5 with winter protection.
Variegated Compact Fountain Grass Pennisetum: Variegated Compact Fountain Grass Pennisetum alopecurioides 'PennStripe' Pennisetum alopecuriodes 'PennStripe' is a wonderful new variegated ornamental grass that tolerates full sun to part shade.
It is very similar to Pennisetum 'Hameln' in habit, but with creamy white striped blades. PennStripe grows 2-3 feet in height and has a spread of approximately 2 feet. Zone 6-8.
Spacing: Space 24" to 36" apart when planting.
Fertilizer: Fertilization is not generally required for good plant output.
Water/Soil Requirements: Plant prefers rich soil and is not fussy about the amount of water it receives. If you have drought conditions, water weekly
Pruning: Cut dead foliage and stems annually, usually in late winter or early spring.
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