About
Loosely tufted, deciduous perennial grass, sometimes grown as an annual, about 60cm tall, with arching mid-green leaves and bearing from summer to early autumn, plume-like panicles with soft, feathery creamy-white bristles, resembling rabbits tails.
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
HabitClump forming
FoliageDeciduous
Height0.5-1 metres
Spread0.5-1 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCity and courtyard gardens, Coastal, Cottage and informal garden, Gravel garden, Mediterranean climate plants, Patio and container plants, Wildlife gardens
Care notes
CultivationGrow in a light, moderately fertile, well-drained soil. May need winter protection in colder areas where pennisetum is short-lived. See ornamental grasses cultivation
PruningRemove dead foliage and old flowered stems in spring
PropagationPropagate by seed sown in containers in a warm glasshouse in spring or by division in spring or early summer
Pest resistanceGenerally pest-free
Disease resistanceGenerally disease-free