Fountain Grass
Pennisetum alopecuroides
Fountain Grass blooms from August through October.
Mature size, hardiness zones, sun and the trait tags were checked against named botanical sources for this plant. The bloom months and water need on this page were not.
Growing Fountain Grass
Plant it in full sun. It prefers low water. It is hardy in USDA zones 5–9. Expect it to reach about 3.3 ft tall and 3.3 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 2 years.
When to plant Fountain Grass
Plant Fountain Grass in early spring as soon as the soil is workable, or in early fall at least six weeks before your first frost, so roots establish in cool weather. For the middle of its hardy zones 5 to 9 range, spring means March to May and fall means September or October. Once settled, it blooms from August to October.
Month-by-month timing for your zone is on the planting calendar: for the middle of its range, start with zone 7 in March.
Comes in 3 colors
Same plant, same care - pick the color you are growing.
Good to know about Fountain Grass
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note.
Worth knowing
The 'invasive fountain grass' reputation mostly belongs to a different plant: tender purple Pennisetum setaceum. The hardy clumping Chinese species is a milder, climate-dependent self-seeder. per UC Riverside and PlantRight
Invasive in mild climates
In warm, mild-winter regions it self-seeds and escapes, and some states flag it invasive; in cold-winter gardens Wisconsin says it never becomes invasive. Check your local list. per Clemson and Wisconsin
Cold hardiness varies by cultivar
NC State rates the species zones 6a to 9b, but Wisconsin calls it hardy to zone 4 or 5. In zones 4 to 5, pick a cold-proven cultivar. per NC State and Wisconsin
Cut back in late winter
It greens up late in spring, so cut old foliage back to a few inches (about 8 to 15 cm) in late winter or early spring, before new shoots emerge. per NC State and Wisconsin
Deer and rabbit resistant
Highly resistant to deer grazing and generally left alone by rabbits; NC State also lists resistance to drought and salt. Very hungry deer may still sample it. per NC State and Wisconsin
Late-summer plumes, fall color
Fuzzy, foxtail-like plumes arch on the stems from August to October, shifting from cream or pink to coppery tan; foliage turns orange-bronze in fall and holds tan through winter. per NC State and Clemson
Non-toxic to pets
The ASPCA lists fountain grasses as non-toxic to pets, and NC State carries no poison rating. Any grass a pet gorges on can still cause mild stomach upset. per ASPCA and NC State
What pairs well with Fountain Grass
Good companions share its growing conditions and add something it lacks: an earlier or later bloom, a lower carpet in front, or structure through winter.
Thyme
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in late spring, before this one opens; low at 6 in, to carpet the ground beneath.
Basket of Gold
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; lower at 8 in, for the front of the border; yellow sits close to orange on the wheel.
Crocus
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in late winter, extending the bed's season; low at 4 in, to carpet the ground beneath; purple against orange, for contrast.
Grape Hyacinth
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in early spring, before this one opens; lower at 8 in, for the front of the border; blue against orange, for contrast.
Creeping Phlox
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in mid spring, before this one opens; low at 6 in, to carpet the ground beneath.
Gazania
Shares full sun and low water; lower at 10 in, for the front of the border; opens in early summer and overlaps into this one's season; echoes the orange.
Portulaca
Shares full sun and low water; low at 6 in, to carpet the ground beneath; opens in early summer and overlaps into this one's season; echoes the orange.
Bachelor's Button
Shares full sun and low water; blooms in late spring, before this one opens; lower at 2.3 ft, for the front of the border; blue against orange, for contrast.
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