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Pennisetum setaceum

Image of Pennisetum setaceum

Forest & Kim Starr

Family

Poaceae

Botanical Name

Pennisetum setaceum

Plant Common Name

African Fountaingrass, Crimson Fountaingrass

General Description

Elegant and tough, crimson fountaingrass is an attractive warm-season perennial to tender perennial that makes a great addition to sunny borders. It is native throughout warm regions in the Mediterranean, Africa, and southwest Asia.

This popular ornamental grass forms graceful, upright to arching clumps of slender medium green blades. From midsummer to fall, it produces many long, drooping plumes of bronze-pink flowers. These are long-lived and can be used in fresh or dry arrangements. Two choice cultivars are 'Rubrum,' which has purple-red foliage, and the large, burgundy-flowered 'Burgundy Giant.’

This grass is very drought tolerant and grows best in full sun, and average, well-drained soil. It is evergreen in frost-free climates and deciduous at the northern end of its hardiness. Prune back its old leaves and seed heads just before new growth starts in the spring. Plant crimson fountaingrass in bold containers or in masses in sunny garden beds with other tough ornamentals like Russian sage, Rudbeckia and tall sedums.

Fountaingrass is listed among the "most invasive widespread pest plants" in California by the California Exotic Pest Plant Council. It has also escaped from cultivation in Hawaii, Florida and Australia. For more information about the invasiveness of foutaingrass see the National Park Service’s Plant Conservation Alliance Alien Plant Working Group factsheet at http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/pese1.htm

Characteristics

  • AHS Heat Zone

    12 - 8

  • USDA Hardiness Zone

    8 - 11

  • Sunset Zone

    H1, H2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24

  • Plant Type

    Grass

  • Sun Exposure

    Full Sun

  • Height

    3'-5' / 0.9m - 1.5m

  • Width

    12"-24" / 30.5cm - 61.0cm

  • Bloom Time

    Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall

  • Native To

    Mediterranean, Africa, Southern Asia, Western Asia

Growing Conditions

  • Soil pH

    Neutral, Alkaline

  • Soil Drainage

    Well Drained

  • Soil type

    Clay, Loam, Sand

  • Tolerances

    Drought

  • Growth Rate

    Fast

  • Water Requirements

    Drought Tolerant

  • Habit

    Clump-Forming

  • Seasonal Interest

    Summer, Fall

Ornamental Features

  • Flower Interest

    Showy

  • Flower Color

    Purple, Pink, Bronze, Ivory

  • Fruit Color

    Sandy Brown

  • Foliage Color (Spring)

    Green

  • Foliage Color (Summer)

    Green, Dark Green

  • Foliage Color (Fall)

    Green, Tan, Sandy Brown

  • Fragrant Flowers

    No

  • Fragrant Fruit

    No

  • Fragrant Foliage

    No

  • Bark or Stem Fragrant

    No

  • Repeat Bloomer

    No

  • Showy Fruit

    Yes

  • Edible Fruit

    No

  • Showy Foliage

    Yes

  • Foliage Texture

    Fine

  • Foliage Sheen

    Glossy

  • Evergreen

    No

  • Showy Bark

    No

Special Characteristics

  • Usage

    Dried Flower / Everlasting, Container, Cutflower, Edging, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border

  • Sharp or Has Thorns

    No

  • Invasive

    Sometimes

  • Self-Sowing

    Yes