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ornamental grass

Red Bunny Tails Fountain Grass

Pennisetum messaicum

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Red Bunny Tails Fountain Grass (Pennisetum messaicum) at A Very Successful Garden Center

Red Bunny Tails Fountain Grass foliage

Red Bunny Tails Fountain Grass foliage

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Red Bunny Tails Fountain Grass (Pennisetum messaicum) at A Very Successful Garden Center

Red Bunny Tails Fountain Grass flowers

Red Bunny Tails Fountain Grass flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Height:  32 inches

Spread:  32 inches

Sunlight:  full sun 

Hardiness Zone:  6b

Description:

A fine textured bright green fountain grass suitable for smaller areas; blooms are bunny tail shaped, reddish-pink plumes that persist until winter; beautiful as an accent or massed in borders or rock garden

Ornamental Features

Red Bunny Tails Fountain Grass has masses of beautiful plumes of pink flowers rising above the foliage in mid summer, which are most effective when planted in groupings. Its grassy leaves are green in color. As an added bonus, the foliage turns a gorgeous coppery-bronze in the fall.

Landscape Attributes

Red Bunny Tails Fountain Grass is an herbaceous perennial grass with a shapely form and gracefully arching stems. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Red Bunny Tails Fountain Grass is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Accent
  • Mass Planting
  • Rock/Alpine Gardens
  • General Garden Use
  • Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Red Bunny Tails Fountain Grass will grow to be about 28 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 32 inches. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division.

Red Bunny Tails Fountain Grass is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Accent  Massing  Rock  Garden  Container 
Applications
Flowers  Fall Color  Texture  Plant Form 
Ornamental Features