Purple Fountain Grass

It is my understanding that purple fountain grass is an annual, not a perenial. I also thought that it could not be grown successfully from seed because it is sterile. I am questioning this because I have seen several offers for purple fountain grass referred to as a perenial and offers for seeds on Ebay. Is there another common purple fountain grass out there? Unfortunately, none of the offers used a botanical name.

Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum' and a variety of cultivars, is a hardy perennial in zones 9 and above. I've heard of it self-seeding in those zones, but I've tried several times, with seed from traders in those zones, and have never gotten it to germinate. Some of the cultivars are indeed sterile, but I believe the species can create viable seed. I think it's an issue of collecting the seed at the appropriate time.

It's a perennial here in zone 9, but it looks shabby in the winter, and goes into a semi-dormancy. It picks up again in the spring.

Steve

I think people confuse Purple Fountain Grass with Purple Flame Grass - in name only. Miscanthus sinesis is down a ways in this page.
http://www.tripleoaks.com/grasses/miscanthus.html

PFG is totally an annual here, I have heard the seeds aren't viable also

Al, that was a nice link. I think that I am going to wait until it warms up more before I decide what to do. I'm pretty sure that last's years grass wont be coming back.

Should I cut it back in anticipation of the spring or will it just come back without help?

pennefeather - Just a guess, the sellers may be referring to Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Moudry' which is very aggressive, if not downright invasive. It self sows freely in warm climates. The plumes can be purplish black.

Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum' while not sterile, has to flower early enough in the season for the seeds to mature, or the seeds will be sterile. If it has a long enough growing cycle, you might be able to get fertile seed from it. Probably in a much hotter zone.

I found 'Rubrum' at HD early last spring (late May) for $4 each. If given full sun and lots of water, it's a fast grower. I didn't have any luck with the Melinis nerviglumis 'Ruby Crystals'. My guess is that it wasn't hot enough for it here. Or it was too shady on the deck once my trees leafed out. But that's another pretty one to try.

Mona - Since it's an annual here, I don't have specific experience with 'Rubrum' coming back. But I have P. alopecuroides 'Hameln' and since they're both warm-season clumpers, maybe they can be treated the same. I cut mine back in spring, to about 1 inch tall, before it starts to green up. Mine were babies, so I just used my cutting scissors, some people use the weed whacker. Practically overnight, it fountains with fresh new growth.

Hope this helps you both! I love what grasses add to the garden.

Mona..cut it to the ground. If it has a chance of coming back, that'll give it the best shot.

Pennisetum setaceum Rubrum is the short varity, is advertised as an annual,
and is reputed to produce sterile seeds.

I was advised to cut it back, give it enough water to survive, and it should grow next
spring. If any grows this from seed I would like your advice.

Big City Al, your grass is the big variety. Beautiful!

Corinne

In another month of so, I will break down and buy some at HD. They had alot available last summer for only $4 or $5 each.

I was hoping that spring was on its way here after close to 60 degrees a few days ago, but we have plummeted back into the 30s and are looking at a dusting of snow today.

Here is a picture of some of my grass last year.

Pennefeather,

That is a lovely setting.

What is the huge round one?

Corinne

Corinne,

I actually took this picture in the early summer, so you don't get to see all the plants that ended up in this area. I'm not sure what you meant by the "huge round one", but I will give you the lowdown on what is here.

In front of the fountain grass are five of six very small stella d'oros. In back and to the sides are echinacea. They were all supposed to be purple, but some were apparently mispackaged, and I ended up with at least one white plant. Actually, the combination was very nice. In the later summer, this bed was very full. I was surprised at how large the fountain grass grew. Fortunately, the echinacea grew to be just as large.

I love the purple and yellow combination of the stellas when they were in bloom. Since I have alot of tickseed, and about 30 black eye susans seedlings, I was planning to put some additional fountain grass with them this year. I am also thinking about the black fountain grass, but I think that the purple is more eye catching.

Thanks.

At the top left of your picture is 'the big round one".

What is it, please?

Corinne

Corinne,

You must mean the azalea by the front door. I have no idea what the name is, but I know that it has pinkish/purple flowers.

I have noticed that Home Depot sells Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum' with little to no information that it is an annual in our area. I have to imagine that there are a lot of people that purchase this plant and then wonder what they did wrong to "kill" the plant come spring time.

- Brent

Brent,

Have you seen it this year yet?

No...I keep telling myself "it is too early to go to the nursery...it is too early to go to the nursery...it is too early to go to the nursery". I do admit that I have a policy that I will absolutely positively never ever purchase a plant at Home Depot...I only broke it 5 or 6 times last year. ;-) I like the selection and care better at Lowes but I purchase a large percentage of my plants from Meadows Farms.

I have a number of Miscanthus sinensis 'Purpurascens' plants that I purchased mail order. They are a touch plain during the summer but they have wonderful fall color. I have one Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah' that I purchased at Home Depot a few years back. This grass develops really cool red color starting in late summer. It does not get enough sun in its location to flower very well.

Here is a great ornamental grass resource: http://www.hostas.com/grasses/comparison-matrix.html

- Brent

I cut all my back at the end of January; they are now sprouting beautifully and looking so healthy. But then, I'm in a zone 10b.

Correction; zone 10a

I did pick up some purple fountain grass today from Merrifields. Although I had consoled myself that I am planning to try to overwinter some in the house, it still hurt to pay so much for an annual. With this attitude in mind, I was quite surprised when I saw that the perennial growing zone was listed as 7 - 10. I thought that this was only a perennial in 9 & 10.

Now I am thinking that I will still bring some plugs in the house to overwinter, but I'm also going to try to save the plants in the yard by giving them a good heavy cover of mulch this winter. Last year's were definitely dead when I began working in the yard this spring.

This looks fabulous in the yard. Now I just have to wait for the perennials to fill in. I'll post pictures in a few months.

I love the white coneflower with it. Hmmm, wheels turning...Happy gardening!

Zone 4 report: I potted my 'Rubrum' and kept it on the back porch
for the winter. I gave it some water weekly.

Now, with warmer temps and more water, it is has several
leaves! I am encouraged!

will deer eat it? I'd like that in my front garden, but it isn't protected from the deer.
If anybody knows, then please advise.

I'm not sure about deer. We do have some deer, but they always go through the back yard, and not the front where I have my purple fountain grass. I can tell you that my cat nibbles on it. I don't remember him eating it last year when it was large, but now that it is still small, I have caught him several times.

Here are a couple recent pictures of this year's purple fountain grass

Mixed with kims knees and gazania

Marigolds and blanketflowers in the background

Looks good, mine is still smallish.

Last picture - black eye susans.

It always gets a comment. We'll see if it does winter over.

Al, we cross posted. They grow quickly.

Oh yeah, I fertilize mine a lot and water it a lot to push it along. I planted some Toffee Twist carex and some Mexican Feather grass in the same bed and rabbits thought the Mexican Feather was quite an exotic treat for them.
I have BES seeding everywhere here - don't worry.

Oh Darn, I wish I would of checked out this forum befor I bought two of these today. I wasn't aware is was an annual. Snooze ya lose. I wonder if it will come back in my zone 7? I am so bummed... Off to search for something that is a perennial.

Last summer I had purple fountain grass that had people stopping in the street to ask me about it! It was in great soil (because it was in a raised bed created by terracing) and had a sprinkler system running every day. So it got huge, but I "knew" it would freeze.

I experimented with ONE clump, because people said it was an annual. I cut it short, and placed a clay pot over it for the entire "winter" here (about a month...during January). It looked dead just like the others this spring, but I left it there whereas I pulled the other dead ones out. Lo and behold, it sprouted in March and is now about 2 feet high! It is nothing like last summer, however..don't know if the ice storm we had for 3 days stunted it or what!!

Here are the PFG from last summer in June, but by August they were as one wall of purple.

BTW: I also have 5 BLACK fountain grass plants...anyone into that? I did Nothing to save it, and it all came up again and they are huge....look like foot stools of thick-ly growing but thin blades that are green, and the inflourescences will be black.

I would love to see a picture of your black fountain grass.

My purple fountain grass this year is huge. I actually had to trim it because it was overpowering my walkway. Next time, I won't have it near the walkway.

I'm in Chandler, AZ and purple fountain grass is a perennial. I have seen how invasive this genus of grass is and so sank a big, plastic log bucket into the bed, filled it with earth and planted. The bucket has lots of drainage holes in it and the fountain grass is still looking good after 3 seasons. Overall the plant is approx 4ft high and 2ft wide.

Here is the black fountain grass....the day I planted it. It's now HUGE. I"m looking for a current pic to post.

Same bed...second year. The black fountain grass is not blooming yet...this is June...still looking for a pic of it in bloom!!

This message was edited Oct 14, 2007 1:00 AM

Awesome Connie! What a great job you did combining foliage textures.

That's the black fountain grass? I don't know anything about it really - it's so green.

Here is mine this year - a bit smaller than last.

I think the "Black Fountain Grass" is really "Black Seeded Fountain Grass." There are a few cultivars of Pennisetum which bloom with very dark seed heads, like 'P.a. 'Moudry' and P.a. 'National Arboretum.'

This is a hedge of 8 'Moudry' plants, grown from seed: