How to Plant and Grow Fountaingrass
Named for its especially graceful spray of foliage, fountaingrass sends out beautiful, fuzzy flower plumes in late summer and self-seeds freely.
Fountaingrass, also known as the Pennisetum genus, encompasses a wide variety of landscape grasses beloved for their soft shape, sprawling nature, and fuzzy plumes. Native to Africa and southern Asia, they come in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and colors, and are uniquely suited to landscape design and container gardens alike.
In general, most varietals of fountaingrass are easy to care for and will reward your efforts with eye-catching blooms through summer and early fall.
Where to Plant Fountaingrass
Fountaingrass thrives in hot, sunny spots that mimic their native environment, making the plants a great option for garden beds and landscape areas that don't have the benefit of tree coverage or shade. Plant fountaingrass alongside more compact plants, which will allow their size and sprawl to take centerstage. Alternately, you can treat the grasses as a hedge of sorts, planting several in a row and allowing their arching, bushy nature to act as a privacy screen in your yard.
Invasive Plant
Fountaingrasses are native to Africa, Asia, and other tropical, subtropical, and temperate climates. In many areas outside of their native range, fountaingrasses are considered invasive because they self-seed prolifically and it may become difficult to control their spread. Pennisetum setaceum is an invasive species in Arizona, California, and Nevada. Check with your local ordinances before planting in your landscape.
How and When to Plant Fountaingrass
Fountaingrass should be planted in early fall or late spring, once all risk of frost has passed. Planting in either of these seasons allows the grasses time to get established before either winter hits or the plant experiences peak growth in the summer.
Because fountaingrasses spread into such a beautiful, full shape, you'll want to give them plenty of room to establish themselves in your landscape. Be sure to locate them at least five feet apart from one another or any other plants similar in size—smaller plants can be located closer to your fountaingrass, with the knowledge that someday the plant may cast a large shadow over them. Dig a hole deep and wide enough to accommodate the root system. Remove the plant from its nursery pot and gently tease the roots. Place in the hole and backfill with the original soil. Water well after planting until the grass is established. Mulching around the base retains soil moisture and suppresses weed growth.
Fountaingrass Care Tips
As far as landscape plants go, fountaingrass is very easy to care for, requiring little specialized care in order to grow and thrive. They enjoy full sunlight and moist but well-draining soil, though they're very drought-tolerant once established. They will grow as perennials within their designated USDA hardiness zones, but can still be beautiful annual plants outside of those zones.
Light
Plant your fountaingrass somewhere where it receives at least six to eight hours of full sunlight daily. If these plants receive too little sunlight, you run the risk of them growing leggy or floppy and refusing to flower.
Soil and Water
Locate your fountaingrass in soil that is nutrient-rich and moist but well-draining. As they're getting established in the landscape, fountaingrass should be watered regularly, ensuring that their soil remains moist but not soggy. Be sure to aim the water at the base of the plant when possible to avoid introducing too much moisture to the dense middle of the plant. Once established, fountaingrass will become fairly drought-tolerant, so you can cut back your watering frequency, about once every few weeks.
Temperature and Humidity
Fountaingrasses are warm weather lovers, preferring temperatures that are consistently warm and humid, ranging from 75 degrees F to 85 degrees F. That being said, there are certain cultivars of the genus that are more tolerant of cold weather than others, like purple fountaingrass, which is cold hardy down to 20 degrees F.
Fertilizer
As long as fountaingrass is planted in nutrient-dense soil, it doesn't need fertilizer to thrive. Young plants may benefit from a yearly application of a balanced organic fertilizer each spring, which will help them grow a strong root system and establish themselves more quickly.
Pruning
Fountaingrass is a great option for homeowners looking for low-maintenance landscape plants, as it really doesn't require much grooming or upkeep. In areas where the grass is perennial, you can cut the plant down to the ground in late fall to ensure a beautiful full shape the following spring. Alternately, some people like the winter landscape interest this plant adds and prefer to cut it down in early spring before the boom of new season growth.
Potting and Repotting Fountaingrass
Many varieties of fountaingrass are well-suited to container gardening, offering an eye-catching way to add texture and, in some cases, privacy to your deck or patio. To plant fountaingrass in a container, start by choosing a pot that has ample space to accommodate the plant's rapid growth and ample roots (at least 12 inches in diameter by 12 inches deep to start). Choosing a pot made of a natural material like clay or terra-cotta will help wick away excess moisture from the soil and prevent your fountaingrass from experiencing root rot.
Fill the container with a high-quality potting mix that is well-draining and rich in nutrients—you can even add perlite or sand to the mixture to improve its ability to drain excess water away. Before planting the fountaingrass, loosen the roots, burying it so that about 1/2 inch of the root ball is still showing above the soil line. Water thoroughly, until the excess water runs out the base through the drainage holes. Place the container in a spot with ample sun, and be prepared to water it more frequently than you would for landscape grass.
Pests and Problems
Fountaingrass is relatively issue-free, but there are a few pests and problems to stay mindful of when growing this plant.
Fungal diseases, such as rust and leaf spot, can cause yellowing or browning of the leaves, as well as stunted growth. To prevent your plant from developing a fungal disease, make sure to space them apart properly in your garden and avoid over-watering.
Slugs and snails are the most common pests you need to look out for on fountaingrass. While they may take the occasional bite out of the plant's leaves, they will rarely inflict enough damage to cause detriment to the plant.
How to Propagate Fountaingrass
Fountaingrass, especially the cultivated varieties, don't always come true from seed. Therefore it is best to propagate the grass by dividing an existing clump, which also rejuvenates the original plant. In the early spring, shear off last year's growth. Using your spade, slice off sections with as many roots as possible attached to them but don't make the sections so large that they are too heavy to lift in one piece. Plant the section in its new location without delay at the same depth as the original plant. Keep it well watered until new growth indicates that it is established.
Types of Fountaingrass
Perennial fountaingrass
Pennisetum alopecuroides makes neat but dense 2- to 5-foot clumps of 1/2-inch-wide leaves that turn golden in fall and persist into the winter. The bottlebrush panicles of silvery-white spikelets (flowers) arise in late summer and mature to bronze, according to variety. Zones 6-9
'Prince' purple fountaingrass
Pennisetum setaceum 'Prince' shows off delightful purple foliage that deepens in color as temperatures rise. It can grow 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide. It's often grown as an annual in the North. Zones 8-11
'Rubrum' purple fountaingrass
Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum' makes mounds of purplish-red leaves. Erect red stems carry arching 1-foot-long pink to reddish-purple panicles of spikelets from midsummer through fall. It's usually grown as an annual, though it is perennial in Zones 8-11.
Fountaingrass Companion Plants
Fountaingrass will look great alongside a variety of other landscape plants, including:
Blue Salvia
With bright blue/purple flowers and lush green leaves, this herbaceous perennial grows showy spikes that will make a beautifully structured compliment to fountaingrass's flowy nature.
Coneflower
A native prairie plant, coneflower thrives in the same hot, sunny environment that fountaingrass does, and is equally adaptable to humid and non-humid environments. The many colors of coneflower available are sure to pop against the more neutral palette fountaingrass offers.
Black-Eyed Susan
For a low-maintenance and vibrant plant to pair with your fountaingrass, look no further than black-eyed Susans. The tough perennials require little maintenance and boast many of the sun and soil
preferences as fountaingrass.
Garden Plans for Fountaingrass
Garden Plan for Attracting Birds and Butterflies
These garden plans were designed with birds and butterflies in mind. They are filled with the best types of plants for providing food and shelter for wildlife.
Lush Woodland Garden Plan
This woodland garden plan layers together a selection of soft-textured, shade-loving plants.
Foundation Garden Plan
This foundation garden plan combines flowering perennials and groundcovers with evergreen shrubs and a sculptural tree.
English-Style Front Yard Garden Plan
This garden plan captures the essence of a cottage garden with its colorful assortment of plants in natural disarray.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get my fountaingrass to stand up straight?
Because of its floppy, arching nature, there is no way to naturally train the plant to grow more vertically. If the droop of the plant bothers you, you can stake the middle and tie a piece of twine around the leaves, but it will not stay that way.
What time of year does fountaingrass bloom?
Fountaingrass will broom through the summer and into the fall, though it will look different than a floral bloom. The plant will erupt in fuzzy-looking sprigs, which will then release white, pink, copper, or purple flower spikes above the leaves.
Do all fountaingrasses spread their seeds?
To keep fountaingrass from multiplying uncontrollably in the landscape, sterile varieties of fountaingrass have been bred. These varieties do not develop seeds so they cannot self-sow. Popular varieties are Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Etoufee' and 'Cayenne.'
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