Data sources
Purple Fountain Grass
Pennisetum setaceum · Ornamental grass
Purple Fountain Grass is a fast-growing ornamental grass, hardy in USDA zones 9-10, that matures to about 3–4 ft × 2–3 ft. It does best in full sun and part shade with medium water needs in well-drained, moist and occasionally-dry soil. Expect pink, purple and red blooms in summer and fall. It attracts songbirds and stands up well to deer and drought.
Restricted in HI, CA, AZ.
A Hawaii noxious weed and a wildfire-fuel concern in the Southwest. Sterile cultivars are the safe way to grow this.
- USDA zones
- 9-10
- Sun
- Full sun, Part shade
- Water
- Medium
- Mature size
- 3–4 ft × 2–3 ft
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maintenance
- Low
- Soil
- Well-drained, Moist, Occasionally-dry
- Bloom color
- Pink, Purple, Red
- Bloom season
- Summer, Fall
- Attracts
- Songbirds
- Tough against
- Deer, Drought
- Native to
- Southwestern Asia, Arabian Peninsula
Will it survive your winters?
We score Purple Fountain Grass’s freeze-trouble range against the real coldest nights your area has recorded.
Powered by ~35 years of daily lows from the nearest NOAA weather station. A risk read, not a guarantee — a sheltered spot or mature plant beats the odds.
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