About
Tender perennial grass, usually grown as an annual to 90cm tall, with dark green stems and leaves turning to deep purple as it matures, especially if grown in full sun. Fluffy purple spikelets in upright panicles produced on leafy stems in mid to late summer.
About the genus
Pennisetum can be annual or perennial, evergreen or deciduous grasses, clump-forming or spreading in habit, with linear leaves and narrow flowering panicles with conspicuous bristles
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeChalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureWell-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH3
Plant details
Plant typeGrass Like, Annual Biennial
HabitClump forming
FoliageDeciduous
Height0.5-1 metres
Spread0.5-1 metres
Time to full height1 year
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Coastal, Cottage and informal garden, Gravel garden, Mediterranean climate plants, Patio and container plants
Care notes
CultivationGrow in a light, moderately fertile, well-drained soil, planting out in spring when the frosts have passed. See ornamental grasses cultivation
PruningTreat as an annual and remove dead foliage and old flowered stems as plants fade
PropagationPropagate by seed sown in containers in a warm glasshouse in spring
Pest resistanceGenerally pest-free
Disease resistanceGenerally disease-free