Cenchrus Species, Rose Fountain Grass, Purple Fountain Grass

Nurseries and garden centers sell lots of the Red Tender Fountaingrass, especially Cenchrus setaceus "Rubrum' and a few other reddish or ...Read Morecopperish cultivars of this annual grass in northern climates that are commonly sold. The species is native to eastern Africa and is a perennial there and in other tropical regions of the world. I found a source that sold the seed of this straight or mother species, which has green foliage and pinkish flower spikes. I grew plants in my small green house at the hospital where I worked as a groundsman. I planted this annual grass in northeast Illinois out in various flower beds in May and it grew quickly into a beautiful plant. I would dig this tender grass plant up in fall and keep it again in the greenhouse for the winter. I would divide the plants and make more, just as I did with the red-purple foliaged cultivar, that I also grew. Garden centers should also grow this green-leaved mother species to sell as a very nice large annual grass besides the red-purple foliaged and flowered cultivars.