Illustration
Fountain Grass
Pennisetum alopecuroides
Fountain Grass blooms from August through October.
Months here are Northern Hemisphere months; in the Southern Hemisphere, shift them by six months.
Growing Fountain Grass
Plant it in full sun. It prefers low water. It is hardy in USDA zones 6–9. Expect it to reach about 3.5 ft tall and 3.5 ft wide at maturity, in roughly 2 years (not yet checked).
What was checked
Mature height and spread, 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, and each fact above says which. The planting, spacing and size sections are derived from these checked facts by a fixed rule, not checked separately, and the plant type is the library's own classification.
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. In zone 7, the middle of its hardy zones 6 to 9, 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; if you garden near zone 7, the middle of this plant's hardy range, start with zone 7 in March. Derived from the plant's category, zones and bloom months plus typical zone frost dates, not checked separately.
How big does Fountain Grass get?
3.5 fttall5 ft 7 inan adult3.5 ftwideSee Fountain Grass in a garden plan: the planner shows it in 3D beside everything else you add, growing toward this size over the years.
How far apart to plant Fountain Grass
Derived from the mature spread above by a fixed rule, not checked separately: spacing is the spread, center to center.
Space Fountain Grass about 3.5 ft apart, center to center, so each plant has room to reach its full width.
Add Fountain Grass to a garden plan and the planner draws it at its full width, so you see the spacing before you buy.
Where these facts come from
Fountain Grass' height, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags were checked against 3 published sources on July 29, 2026. Each one is linked below with every fact it carried, which can include a fact this page still marks as not yet checked, because a source carrying a value is not the same as the value being held to the standard. Facts not in that list, and the planting, spacing and size sections, are not covered by these sources.
- Missouri Botanical GardenPlant Finderheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- NC State ExtensionPlant Toolboxheight, spread, hardiness zones, sun and trait tags
- Chicago Botanic GardenPlant Finderheight and sun
How the checking works, and what each standard covers, is on the verified plants page.
Comes in 3 colors
Same genus, similar care - pick the color you are growing.
Compare every color in the Fountain Grass group
Every figure is the color's own page fact. Tap a name to open it.
| Name | Color | Blooms | Hardiness | Sun | Size (H × W) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fountainthis page | Orange | Aug–Oct | Zones 6–9 | Full sun | 3.5 ft × 3.5 ft |
| Little Bunny | Orange | Aug–Oct | Zones 5–9 | Full sun | 12 in × 20 in |
| Moudry (Black Fountain Grass) | Purple | Aug–Oct | Zones 5–9 | Full sun | 3.5 ft × 3.5 ft |
| Purple | Pink | Jul–Oct | Zones 9–11 | Full sun | 4 ft × 3 ft |
Good to know about Fountain Grass
Curated from university extensions, botanic gardens and other primary sources, with the source named on every note. A note reports what its source says; where that differs from a fact above, the fact above is this entry's stored value, and its mark says whether it has been checked.
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.
White Clover
Shares full sun and low to moderate water; blooms in late spring, before this one opens; low at 4 in, to carpet the ground beneath; its white flowers settle the orange.
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.
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.
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.
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 2.5 ft, for the front of the border; blue against orange, for contrast.
Featured in these guides
Explore similar plants
You might also like
Design a garden with this
Drop this plant onto a 3D plan, see how it fills in, and watch your whole garden bloom across the year.