Species fountain grass
elongated, feathery, midnight-purple flowers or cobs, with long, slender, gray-green stems

fountain grass

Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Red Head'

Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Red Head') is an ornamental grass native to Africa. Its distinctive, bright red-orange foliage contrasts strikingly against other green plants. It's low-maintenance, drought tolerant, and deer resistant, making it ideal for gardeners with busy schedules. Its graceful, cascading arching form easily brings a stunning visual to any garden bedroom, and its airy texture and delicate tassels will make you feel relaxed in no time. Nature lovers rejoice - Fountain Grass does best in full sun and characteristic blooms in late summer.

Cycle:

Perennial

Watering:

Frequent

Propagation:

Seed Propagation

Hardiness Zone:

6 - 9

Flowers:

Silvery to pinkish-white Flowers In Summer

Sun:

Full sun, Part sun/part shade

Soil:

Acidic, Well-drained

Fruits:

Fruits In Autumn Ready In Fall

Leaf:

Yes

Leaf Color:

green,red

Growth Rate:

High

Maintenance:

Low

Drought Tolerant:

Yes

Salt Tolerant:

Yes

Care Level:

Medium

watering

Fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Red Head') should be watered frequently during its active growing season (spring and summer). The soil should be kept consistently moist, but not soggy- so about 1-2 inches of water per week should be enough. In the fall and winter, water less as the grass may go dormant and won’t require as much moisture. Checking the soil’s moisture level with a finger is usually the best way to determine how much watering is needed.

sunlight

Fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Red Head') grows best in full sun, with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. It can also tolerate some partial shade, as long as it gets adequate bright light for most of the day. In the summer months, when the days are long, the full sun should be avoided midday, as this can cause scorching of the foliage. Early morning sun and late afternoon sun are best for this plant species.

pruning

Fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Red Head') should be pruned in early spring, before the beginning of new growth. Remove dead, damaged, and weak foliage as needed; and reduce it, if necessary, to encourage strong, healthy foliage. Following that initial pruning, you may want to wait until late summer or early fall to do any additional pruning. Prune fountain grass again by cutting back up to 1-third of the foliage (from the top down). This will result in lush, full, healthy foliage during the next season.

Season

Fall
Winter
Spring
Summer
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Starts Flowering

Fountain grass typically starts flowering in late summer, usually in August or September.

Harvest Fruit

The best time to start harvesting the fruits from Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Red Head' is in August and September.

Starts Flowering

Fountain grass typically starts flowering in late summer, usually in August or September.

Harvest Fruit

The best time to start harvesting the fruits from Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Red Head' is in August and September.

Hardiness Map