Botanical Name: Pennisetum orientale
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Common Name: Oriental Fountain Grass  
Plant photo of: Pennisetum orientale
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Water Saving Tip:

Replace turf with groundcovers, trees, and shrubs. If you have areas where no one uses the grass, patches that do not grow well, or a turf area too small to water without runoff, consider replacing the turf with water-efficient landscaping.

  • Anatomy

  • Culture

  • Design

Plant Type

Grass

 

Height Range

1-3'

 

Flower Color

Pink, White

 

Flower Season

Summer, Fall

 

Leaf Color

Green

 

Bark Color

n/a

 

Fruit Color

n/a

 

Fruit Season

n/a

Sun

Full

 

Water

Medium

 

Growth Rate

Fast

 

Soil Type

Sandy, Clay, Loam, Rocky, Unparticular

 

Soil Condition

Average, Rich, Poor, Well-drained

 

Soil pH

Neutral, Basic

 

Adverse Factors

n/a

Design Styles

English Cottage, Formal, Japanese, Meadow, Mediterranean, Ranch, Spanish, Woodland

 

Accenting Features

Showy Flowers, Unusual Foliage

 

Seasonal Interest

Winter, Summer, Fall

 

Location Uses

Entry, Perennial Border, Shrub Border, Foundation, Patio

 

Special Uses

Cut Flowers, Hedge, Small Spaces

 

Attracts Wildlife

n/a

Information by: Stephanie Duer
Photographer:

  • Description

  • Notes

There is some disagreement on the winter hardiness of Oriental fountain grass, with some sources placing it in USDA Zone 5 or 6, some in Zone 7. Like P. alopecuroides, it is a clumping, warm-season grass, though it is thought to be more floriferous, with spectacular pinkish white flowers in summer and sometimes fall. Flower plumes change to light brown. Foliage is a bright green that changes to straw color as winter approaches. This grass is 2-1/2 feet tall and wide. This grass is striking if backlit to show off flower plumes.
Fountain grass are very adaptable, growing in just about any soil as long as it is well drained and in full sun. They perform the best when they are in fertile, loamy soils and receive regular watering. As with other grasses, cut them back in late winter, see the Guides for details. A very tidy grass, well suited to more formal sites and shrub borders, but it also holds its own in raucous perennial borders, providing a valuable bridge between blooming seasons and into the winter months.