FOXTAIL GRASS
The popularity of ornamental grasses rolls on unabated. From miscanthus to fescue, they are everywhere–in places as diverse as strip mall parking lots and high-end residential landscapes. It is unfashionable to say so, but I can take or leave most of them. Some, like miscanthus or Chinese ribbon grass, are simply too big and unwieldy for my suburban garden. Others, like fescue, just do not grab hold of my imagination. Two grasses that do inspire me, however, are Pennisetum alopecuroides and Pennisetum setaceum, otherwise known as foxtail grass and fountain grass. They clearly enchant a lot of other people too, as I have seen them a lot lately in the garden centers and big box stores.
Most of the pennisetum that I see in commercial establishments is Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’ or purple fountain grass. It grows to about 3 feet in height and is often displayed in the middle of large, mixed container arrangements, surrounded by mums or asters or pansies in complementary colors. Identification is easy. The spiky seedheads are pinkish-purple and sway atop arching stalks. The foliage is often bronze or purple as well. Native to Africa, the species should be treated as an annual in areas where winter temperatures fall below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. In USDA Zone 6, where I live, purple fountain grass can sometimes survive the average winter, especially if it is planted in the ground in a protected location.
Foxtail grass is a Chinese pennisetum that can be smaller–sprouting to 2 or 3 feet in height–and hardier than Pennisetum setaceum. The plants are cold tolerant enough to be grown as perennials in areas with cold winters, through USDA Zone 5. The “foxtails,” which many sources compare in appearance to bottle brushes, are showy in the fall, rising above evergreen or semi-evergreen foliage. Some alopecuroides varieties, like ‘Hamelin,’ have reddish foliage, while others, including “Moudry,’ sport green leaves.
The pennisetums, with their soft, seedhead “tails,” almost beg to be touched, and children are often fascinated by them. Left untrimmed through the winter, they provide nice accents in the landscape, even after the seedheads turn brown. Both species are sun lovers and hate wet feet. When grown as an annual, Pennisetum setaceum does not really get started until late spring when the weather is consistently warm. The alopecuroides species is also a late starter. This does not really matter, as spring has plenty of horticultural attractions, whereas fall can generally use a few more.
Pennisetum is part of the Gramineae family, which is also home to Zea, more commonly known as corn. Phragmites, which populates swamps by the millions, is another family member. In Latin, the word “penna” means “feather” and “seta” means. “bristle.” The species name “alopecuroides” is from a classical Greek word that translates as “foxtail grass.” The genus was first described in 1805, but it is not clear when the pioneering wave of ornamental pennisetums landed on American shores. My 1947 edition of the Wayside Gardens Catalog, generally a good indicator of popular horticultural taste, has no listing for any pennisetum. The plants have become fixtures on the retail scene over the last 20 years or so because they are generally attractive, drought tolerant, deer resistant and easy to care for. All of that toughness has a flip side, however, as the plants have reportedly naturalized and gotten out of control in warm climate areas like Florida and Australia. As with many ornamental grasses, long established pennisetum clumps can also be difficult to divide.
Breeders have been hard at work adapting all kinds of plants to fit small-space applications, and they have succeeded with pennisetum. ‘Little Bunny’ and ‘Little Honey’ are both about 12 inches tall at maturity, with silvery “tails. Another variety, ‘Piglet,’ is medium-tall, topping out at 18 inches, and s porting purplish seedheads.
Pennisetums make nice additions to indoor arrangements, but to have enough for both indoor and outdoor color, you will probably need a big healthy clump. Buy one of those containerized Pennisetum alopecuroides now at the garden center, and you may have enough time to get it in the ground before cold weather sets in. If the plant is happy, you will have that big healthy clump within a couple of years.
Ordinary pennisetums are ubiquitous right now, especially Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum,’ which the “Proven Winners” plant marketing company selected for inclusion in its widely distributed plant line. For a broader selection, try Plant Delights Nursery, 9241 Sauls Road, Raleigh, NC 27603, (919) 772-4794, www.plantdelights.com. Plant Delights’ unusual fee for its print catalog is either “ten stamps” or “one box of chocolates.”