Planting DesignDiscover the right plants for your garden.
With its flowing fountain cast , colorful foliage , and bottlebrush plumes throughout summer and fall , purple fountain grasscan tote up contrasting shape and grain , as well as movement in your garden . Its tall plumage rise above the clumping Gunter Grass and persuade in the breeze . This speedy - growing works requires little care and is deer resistant .
On this page : Basics|Planting & Care|Design Ideas|Is it encroaching ?
BASICS
Pennisetum setaceum’Rubrum ' . photograph by : Proven Winners .
Botanical name:
Pennisetum setaceum’Rubrum '
Common name:
Purple fountain supergrass
Zones:
9 to 11 , acquire as an annual in cold climates
Height/Spread:
3 to 5 foot tall and 2 to 4 feet wide
Exposure:
Full sun to fond shade
Soil:
Average , well - drain
Water:
Medium , consistent water throughout growing season
Color:
Burgundy - red leaves , burgundy - purple flowers in bottlebrush - same spike
Bloom time:
July to October
Diseases and Pests:
No serious insect or disease problems .
PLANTING & CARE
When to Plant:
If you are planting in the fall , do so at least a month before the mean first hoar .
While they will stick out juiceless conditions and are quite drought resistive , violet fountain grasses will look their best with regular watering .
Pruning:
In areas where purple fount Mary Jane is being grown as a perennial , it should be rationalise back to just a few inches above the ground in late wintertime or early spring before unexampled growth begins to ensure a full and healthy plant . Cutting back will also decrease the fire danger as fount grass turn dark-brown and teetotal in winter and becomes extremely flammable .
DESIGN IDEAS
photograph by : Müller / McPhoto / Alamy Stock Photo .
Purple fountain grass makes a striking statement no matter where it is used :
IS PURPLE FOUNTAIN GRASS INVASIVE?
Some kind of pennisetums will pronto self - seed and become invasive in the warmer areas where they are grown as perennials . However , according toMissouri Botanical Garden , “ ‘ Rubrum ’ , sometimes usually called purple or red fountain grass , is a Burgundy wine - red give cultivar that is not invasive under any circumstances because , unlike the species , it seldom sets seed . ” However , be careful if you grow several cultivars together because with cross - pollenation , you might get workable seed .
Other colorful non-invasive ornamental grasses:
' Fireworks’(variegated red fountain smoke ) has bright , crimson and green variegate leaf with purple tassel and is slightly minor than ‘ Rubrum’ . ‘Sky Rocket’has green and white striped foliage with white plumes , and is also slightly small-scale than ' Rubrum ' .
