Fountain Grass

Uses:

  • Borders & Edges
  • Focal Point
  • Floral Arrangements
  • Mixed Containers

Features:

  • Feathery Flower Plumes
  • Deer & Rabbit Resistant
  • Low Maintenance & Adaptable
  • Soft Fine Texture

Sunlight:

  • Full Sun
  • At Least 6 Hours of Direct Sunlight

Growing Zones:

Fountain Grass Care

Fountain grass or Pennisetum is a warm-season grass with arching stems and feathery flower plumes. This grass provides a fine, soft texture in the landscape and can be used as ground cover or an edging plant when planted en masse. The bottlebrush plumes appear in late summer and can be left to dry on the plant for winter interest and food for birds. This grass is popular for combining with flowering plants in container arrangements.

Items 1 to 17 of 17 total
Items 1 to 17 of 17 total

About Fountain Grass

Graceful Grasses Purple Fountain Grass
Genus
Cenchrus
Species
Alopecuroides
Family
Poaceae

Common Names:

Chinese Fountain grass Chinese Fountain Grass Chinese Pennisetum Fountain Grass


Native To:

East Asia, Western Australia

Plant Type:

Ornamental Grasses

Foliage Type:

Deciduous

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:

5 - 9

Flower Color:

Cream/Tan, Gray/Silver, Green, Pink, Purple/Lavender, White

Flower Bloom Time:

Fall, Summer, Winter

Growth Habit:

Clumping, Erect, Mounding, Open

Attracts:

Moths, Pollinators, Songbirds

Tolerates

Poor Soil, Salt

Resists:

Deer

How To Use Fountain Grass In The Garden

Fountain grass, belonging to the Pennisetum genus, exhibits an arching, vase-like shape adorned with feathery flower plumes. Available in both annual and perennial varieties, its foliage color ranges from purple and green to bronze and variegated forms. Depending on the cultivar, fountain grasses can reach heights of 1 to 5 feet and widths of 1 to 4 feet. As warm-season grasses, they thrive during the warmer summer months, making them well-suited to hot, sunny, and humid areas.

In landscape designs, this grass excels when planted in bold drifts for a soft, rolling effect that catches the breeze. A single clump in a decorative container can also serve as a graceful accent on patios and balconies. To heighten seasonal contrast, pair fountain grass with late-summer perennials such as coneflowers or black-eyed Susan. Along slopes or in mixed borders, its cascading form breaks up rigid outlines and fosters a more dynamic, layered composition.

Fountain Grass Care

Fountain grass, belonging to the Pennisetum genus, exhibits an arching, vase-like shape adorned with feathery flower plumes. Available in both annual and perennial varieties, its foliage color ranges from purple and green to bronze and variegated forms. Depending on the cultivar, fountain grasses can reach heights of 1 to 5 feet and widths of 1 to 4 feet. As warm-season grasses, they thrive during the warmer summer months, making them well-suited to hot, sunny, and humid areas.

In landscape designs, this grass excels when planted in bold drifts for a soft, rolling effect that catches the breeze. A single clump in a decorative container can also serve as a graceful accent on patios and balconies. To heighten seasonal contrast, pair fountain grass with late-summer perennials such as coneflowers or black-eyed Susan. Along slopes or in mixed borders, its cascading form breaks up rigid outlines and fosters a more dynamic, layered composition.

Learn More About Avens

Little Bunny Dwarf Fountain Grass