This will provide fresh new growth for the Spring ahead. Choose a pot that is at least twice the size of the selected plant. Position in hole and backfill with soil, gently firming down. Purple fountain grass is an ornamental grass known for its cascading leaves and dramatic color. Indoors, your plant will look more like a pot of ordinary lawn grass than the splendid purple fountain grass it becomes in summer! Note that though the foliage will grow back fairly quickly after the plant’s severe pruning, its new leaves will probably entirely green or only slightly reddish: that’s because the plant’s purple coloration only truly comes out when the plant is exposed to intense sunlight, as in outdoors. Purple fountain grass – Pennisetum setaceum “Rubrum” is an ornamental landscape grass known for its burgundy or purple leaf blades and soft, fuzzy like flowers. It’s normally multiplied from seed that you then resow the following spring. The cascading leaves on this plant have a fountain-like appearance. Unlike the species, this cultivar does not reseed. Water young plants … Fill the pot with a quality potting mix, such as. Clump-forming grasses grow in mounds or clumps, making them ideal for many areas without becoming invasive. Intro: This pretty purple grass looks great in the back or middle of a combination container planting. This clump-forming grass grows rapidly to reach 3 – 5 feet tall and 2 – 4 feet wide in a single season. Note the leaves indoors are green, not purple. Ageratum flowers are tough plants that can even handle a bit of shade. It is grown as an annual in temperate zones or in a container and brought indoors during the winter. Grows in 3-4 ft. tall (90-120 cm) and 2-3 ft. wide (60-90 cm) Performs best in full sun in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils. An herbaceous perennial grass in mild winter regions; provides quick annual color in any climate. Purple fountain grass care is important to help making your plants become specimen plants. Dig the planting hole twice as wide and to the same depth as the root-ball. It can be used alone as a specimen plant or in a border alongside other perennials. A popular drought tolerant grass that forms a tidy, dense clump of purplish maroon blades topped with rose-red plumes. Native to tropical regions of Africa, the Middle East and southwest Asia, purple fountain grass prefers to grow in warm, subtropical and tropical regions of the U.S. U.S.D.A. They are popular for their dense clumps of fairly broad, deep purple leaves. The leaves are purple or burgundy red. Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser, © 2020 Yates, a division of DuluxGroup (Australia) Pty Ltd, Choose a place in the garden that gets full sun to half shade. However, because of its capacity for invasiveness, caution should be taken when deciding where and how to plant this grass. Don’t fertilize it for now, though: you don’t want to encourage rapid growth while the sun is so weak: that will only give floppy, etiolated leaves. Container-grown purple fountain grasses are simple to bring indoors: just clean off the pot and carry them in. Finally, water your newly-potted plant to settle the soil. Developed by a program at the University of Georgia, Princess Caroline Fountain Grass is an easy to grow, moderate to fast-growing perennial grass in USDA Zones 8a through 10b that features intense purple-maroon foliage summer to frost on large and impressive mounding plants with arching foliage. Once the threat of freezing weather and frost has passed in spring, you can set the purple fountain grass back outdoors. All ornamental grasses aren’t as exciting as the Fireworks purple fountain grass, which was recently selected as an LSU AgCenter Louisiana Super Plant. Planting in containers or in sites that have natural barriers such as curbs also keeps fountain grass under control. A fast acting, liquid fertiliser ideal for feeding a wide range of ornamental flowers, shrubs and trees, as well as vegies and herbs. Watering: When the top of the soil feels dry down to about 2 or 3 inches, water your Purple Fountain. Plants in cold zones should be dug up. Prepare the planting area well by digging in. Purple fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum') is an ornamental grass used in the landscape or in containers. Overall, Pennisetum setaceum is a viable option for urban and residential landscaping. So if you act quickly, before the real winter cold sets in, you ought to be able to bring it indoors while it is still in good shape. Growing purple fountain grass is easy. All require the same winter treatment as purple fountain grass. Ajuga has a wide variety of foliage colors usually in the rich deep burgundy realm. Prepare the planting area well by digging in Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser. How to Prune and Divide your Purple Fountain Grass - YouTube Like purple fountain grasses, since these varieties are not true annuals, they can be kept indoors over the winter. A warm-season bunchgrass (evergreen in warm winters) much admired for its purple foliage and plume-like ornamental seedheads. Plants Management Australia (PMA) is the home of quality new plants for Australian gardens and landscapes. A high quality all purpose organic-based potting mix suitable for most indoor and outdoor potted plants. Other browning fountain grass causes may be overwatering, excess fertilizer, pot bound plants, or … This sterile cultivar will never become a weed. And, as mentioned above, it is probably not too late to save your plant, as it will tolerate quite a bit of frost: down to about 15˚F (-10˚C). The grasses grow about three feet high and up to four feet wide, so leave space between the grasses and other plants for them to reach their full size without crowding the rest of your blooms. This grass, which can reach 36 inches, adds height to the plant container setup. Evergreen in mild winter areas. planting zones 8 through 10 can treat purple fountain grass as a … But it is not in fact an annual, but a tender perennial grass (zone 8 or 9) you can easily overwinter indoors. Suited to moist soils as the name suggests. Place the plant near a sunny window in a heated room. This herbaceous perennial grass is heat tolerant and grows well in poor soil. Water the plant like any houseplant, when the potting mix is dry to the touch. How to grow purple fountain grass in a garden. When there is no longer any danger of frost, gradually acclimate the divisions to outdoor conditions and pretty soon you’ll have striking purplish red grasses with swaying flower spikes to brighten your garden all summer! The relatively wide and shallow roots of the grass are no match for freezing temperatures. If you have one of these in your garden, you can then collect its seeds now… if the birds haven’t already eaten them all! All require the same winter treatment as purple fountain grass. Purple fountain grass also thrives in containers, making it a colorful choice for potted accents on your patio or anchors in your poolside arrangements. It is more expensive than other plants grown as annuals but this plant will delight you with a showy, multi-faceted display. Chinese fountain grass cultivars are hardy to USDA zone 5 (AgCan zone 6) and will grow in even colder zones with a little winter protection. If yours are planted in the garden, you’ll have to dig them up and put them in a pot. Since it is sterile, however, purple fountain grass can be grown in tropical to subtropical climates without fear that it will escape and become a menace. Like most ornamental grasses, purple fountain grass does best when you cut it back drastically to remove old leaves. The first step when you trim fountain grass back is to tie up the dead stems. The best way to get more purple fountain grass is to buy a plant from a nursery or online source or divide an existing plant in your garden (or your neighbor’s garden… shhhhh!). Since it’s sterile, you won’t get any useful seeds. It will die back with any frost; plan on cutting it back in winter to renew growth. To keep the plant looking at its best, cut the plant back each winter so that it is at least 5cm above ground level. So put the fertilizer away and let slow and steady be your motto, at least until the longer days of spring. It has long, purple coloured, foxtail like flowers pretty much most of the year, (except in the dead of winter). Fountain grass trimming is helpful and visually appealing to remove the dying grass at the end of the season or just as the new season begins. This dramatic grass makes an impressive pot specimen or feature in the garden planted amongst other grasses, succulents and perennials. Always water in well after planting to settle the soil around the roots and keep the soil lightly moist for several weeks while the new plant establishes. Napiter grass hybrids don’t bloom in short season climates (actually, they rarely flower even in the tropics). From there, it requires very little water to continue to grow. Finally, a hardy purple fountain grass! Purple fountain grass has given rise to a few cultivars with variegated foliage, like P. advena x ‘Fireworks’ (red, pink and white), P. advena x ‘Cherry Sparkler’ (pink, white and green) and P. x advena ‘Skyrocket’ (green and white). In almost all areas it will be an annual grass. Create organic nutrient rich soil with Yates Dynamic Lifter for better root growth, stronger plants and more flowers and fruit. Just treat them the same way you would purple fountain grass. This beautiful grass, with reddish-purple foliage and foxtail-shaped flower spikes that dance in the slightest breeze, is a very popular summer garden and container plant. Yates Thrive All Purpose Liquid Plant Food. How to Grow. However, nurseries offer it as an annual, so most gardeners simply leave it to freeze in the fall, assuming it’s doomed to die anyway. Plant in a well … Place the potted plant near a sunny window when kept indoors. Vertigo is a warm-season grass. Use the potted plant for the division. Once the grass turns brown in the fall you can cut it back to the ground whenever you would like. Keep the plant moist, not soggy, watering it about once a month. Plants should be watered a couple of times per week until the plant has established itself. wider than the farthest reach of the foliage. Vibrant, colourful flowers with shiny green leaves, Agapanthus can really brighten up your garden. ‘Karley Rose’ is the best known cultivar. Its foxtail plumes and striking burgundy foliage show up well when surrounded by contrasting plants. They are a tough and hardy grass that will add a … After cutting back the potted plant in winter, keep them in a warm area and keep the soil moist. Please note in QLD it's an invasive plant. USE IN: Perfect for rockeries and borders. They are the truest blue annuals you can find for your garden. Mulch with an organic mulch, keeping it clear of the base of the plant. Purple fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides setaceum rubrum) is a member of the family Poaceae, which includes grass. CARE: Mulch and water regularly until the plant is established, usually around 12 weeks. Because winter temperatures in these zones do not reach lower than 20 degrees F, purple fountain grass will survive the winter and will grow as a perennial. How to Keep Purple Fountain Grass Alive Through the Winter. Graceful tassels of mushroom-pink arch over the deep burgundy foliage. Compact elegant native grass with creamy foxtail flowerspikes. Full sun. Yates Dynamic Lifter Soil Improver & Plant Fertiliser. Purple fountain grassnamed for the arcing spikes of purplish flowers that gracefully spray out of its mass of long, slender, burgundy-colored leavesis not a very cold-hardy plant, but it is well worth growing in the northeven if you can enjoy it for only two seasons out of the year. Next step in fountain grass pruning is to use a cutting tool, such as pruning shears or hedge clippers, to cut back the stem bundle. Position in the garden that receives full sun to half shade. Prune fountain grass … Sterile, will not self-seed. Dig out several inches (8 cm.) Water in well. On the contrary, another ornamental pennisetum, pear millet (P. glaucum), which has given several cultivars with colorful leaves, like ‘Purple Majesty’, ‘Purple Baron’, ‘Jade Princess’ and ‘Purple Jester’, usually is grown an annual, even in the tropics. There is also a group of pennisetums with purple foliage but that share a different background. Pennisetum advena rubrum dwarf - dwarf purple fountain grass DESCRIPTION: Eelegant, dwarf ornamental grass with burgundy-purple foliage and cream-rose coloured plumes. Our plants are extensively field tested ensuring superior garden and container performance. Plant resprouting after a harsh pruning. Although it can be planted nearly anytime, spring is the most suitable time for planting. A clum… Learn more about dividing perennials here. Steps for Cutting Back Fountain Grass. Purple fountain grass is only hardy in zones 9 – 10. Periodic grooming can turn your Pennisetum into a perennial. It has provided many worthy cultivars (‘Hameln’, ‘Moudry’, ‘Foxtrot’, ‘Little Bunny’, etc. ), all with the attractive arching foxtail flower spikes that give purple fountain grasses such grace. Also great for containers. Hardy fountain grasses don’t need to be brought indoors over the winter. Even if you’ve already had a frost or two (I certainly have! Do this when you bring it indoors, cutting back both flowers and leaves to about 2 or 3 inches (3-5 cm) high. Our mission is to connect independent plant breeders with the garden market, and in turn, to bring better plants to gardeners in Australia and across the globe. You can propagate the purple fountain grass shrub by dividing them during spring. In mild climates, moderate, frost-free temperatures allow fountain grass to grow throughout the year. Not Too Late to Save Your Purple Fountain Grass, How to overwinter Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum', How to overwinter Pennisetum x advena 'Rubrum'. This helps keep water where it's needed. Purple fountain grass is also gorgeous by itself and can be placed behind other plant containers to add height. How to Grow and Care for Purple Fountain Grass in Containers. Remove the plant from the container, gently tease the roots. This plant can be easily propagated through division in autumn by carefully removing it from the ground or the pot and dividing into separate clumps with a spade. Other than regular watering if your area does not receive consistent rainfall, Purple Grass requires very little additional maintenance. Grow Purple Fountain Grass. Some care instructions advise to cut grasses down to a few inches above ground in fall or spring and to divide clumps when the grass's growth begins to weaken. Tolerates dry periods once established. Purple fountain grass does well in most types of soil, including poor soil. Normal room temperatures are fine as are cooler rooms with night temperatures down to about 40˚F (5˚C). Purple fountain grass, botanically known as pennisetum setaceum rubrum is an ornamental grass native to sub-tropical areas of Africa, Asia and the Middle East. See more ideas about fountain grass, container gardening, garden containers. Requiring very little care and providing almost nonstop drama in the garden. Yates Thrive All Purpose Liquid Plant Food. ; Dig the planting hole twice as wide and to the same depth as the root-ball. Position in hole and backfill with potting mix, gently firming down. It acts as a perennial in warmer climates and is also grown as an annual by seed in cooler climates. Looking for options for groundcover, try growing ajuga. This will give you more plants to put outside for the summer! Oriental fountain grass (P. orientale) is just a lovely and about as hardy, with pinkish foxtail spikes. Jun 2, 2016 - Explore Mary Bohnsack's board "Purple Fountain Grass" on Pinterest. It may be either an annual or a perennial depending on your gardening zone. Grab a bargain while stocks last - extra-large plants that will soon be too big to fit in the boxes! 2. Where temperatures get colder than 15 degrees F, the plants should be treated as annuals. Purple fountain grass cultivars rarely set the seeds that allow the plant to spread willy-nilly all over the landscape. There are hardy fountain grasses, too, Chinese fountain grass (P. alopecuroides) being the species most often grown. Derived from crosses with Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum), they are grown as perennial grasses in zones 9 to 12 and as annual grasses in temperate areas. Choose a place in the garden that gets full sun to half shade. LOCATION: Pennisetums are hardy and prefer a full sun to part shade position in the garden. This cold-hardy grass typically grows in 2-3 foot tall (60-90 cm) rounded mounds of dark green foliage turning golden … In winter, fountain grass can … In March, divide the clump and repot the divisions. How to grow yellow Allamanda! Just like the maiden grass, this purple fountain grass will be a great option in autumn flower gardens. A tropical evergreen shrub features large golden-yellow flowers. Prune at least half of the foliage each spring to remove the previous years spent foliage. Soil & Fertilizing. Purple Fountain Grass is a beautiful ornamental grass with striking burgundy foliage throughout the year. Native to Asia and Australia, Pennisetum alopecuroides (Fountain Grass) is among the most beautiful and graceful ornamental grasses with its cascading foliage that rustles in the wind. Provide consistent water throughout the growing season. There are many plants that provide some great foliage colour, but not many are as easy to care for as the Purple Fountain Grass (Pennisetum advena ‘Rubrum’). This grass is as easy care as it gets and tolerates a bit of neglect as well. Remove the plant from the container, gently tease the roots. That’s good news for Southern gardeners (zones 8 and above), as the species P. setaceum is highly invasive and growing it is illegal in many areas. You can put purple fountain grass in containers and bring them indoors where it’s warm. Do note that you can’t grow purple fountain grass from seed: it’s a sterile hybrid, P. x advena ‘Rubrum’, resulting from a cross between African fountain grass (P. setaceum) and P. macrostachya ‘Burgundy Giant’. Heat and drought tolerant, this warm season grass is stunning as a specimen or in groups. It is a great choice for the easy care garden and can be grown in both beds and pots. Plant this grass where you can enjoy the sound of the leaves rustling in the breeze. Beautiful as a landscape specimen or planted in groups. Fountain grass (Pennisetum) is a mound-forming ornamental grass and a garden favorite, as the care of fountain grass is easy. This is just to make the chore of cutting back fountain grass a little easier because you won’t have to clean up all the fallen stems. Purple fountain grass is an ornamental grass that is drought tolerant. This group includes such cultivars as ‘Prince’, ‘Princess Grace’, and First Knight™. Purple fountain grass has given rise to a few cultivars with variegated foliage, like P. advena x ‘Fireworks’ (red, pink and white), P. advena x ‘Cherry Sparkler’ (pink, white and green) and P. x advena ‘Skyrocket’ (green and white). ), it’s probably not too late to save your purple fountain grass (Pennisetum x advena ‘Rubrum’, formerly P. setaceum ‘Rubrum’) from the cold. It is most problematic in dry, arid climates in the southern United States, Australia, Europe, and parts of Africa (Kaufman, 2012). Form a raised or doughnut shaped ring of soil around the outer edge of the plant's root zone. 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