5 Red Fountain Grass Bare Root Starter Plants – Pennisetum Rubrum Ornamental Grass

Overview

Introduce dynamic color and texture to your garden with the Red Fountain Grass bare root starter plants. This striking ornamental grass, scientifically known as Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’, is celebrated for its rich, burgundy-red foliage and soft, feathery flower plumes that emerge in late summer. As a perennial grass, it creates a lush, fountain-like appearance, adding movement and visual interest to landscapes. These Pennisetum Rubrum plant starters are an excellent choice for gardeners looking to establish a vibrant, easy-care feature in their outdoor spaces. Growing to an average height of 3 to 4 feet with a similar spread, the clumping habit of this grass makes it a versatile addition to various garden designs, from mass plantings to accent features.

The vibrant coloration of the foliage intensifies in full sun, providing a dramatic backdrop that beautifully contrasts with other plants and flowers. The airy, pinkish-tan plumes sway gracefully in the breeze, extending their visual appeal well into autumn as they mature to a silvery hue. Opting for Red Fountain Grass bare root plants provides a robust start, allowing them to establish strong root systems quickly in their new environment. This ornamental grass is not just beautiful but also highly adaptable, making it a favorite among both novice and experienced gardeners seeking a high-impact, low-effort plant for their landscape.

Key Benefits

The Red Fountain Grass bare root offers numerous advantages for enhancing your garden, providing both aesthetic appeal and practical benefits that make it a standout choice for various landscape applications. Its vibrant color and graceful form contribute significantly to garden beauty.

• Stunning Visual Impact: The deep burgundy to purple foliage of the Pennisetum Rubrum plant creates a bold statement in any garden. This rich color intensifies in full sun, providing a dramatic contrast against green foliage plants and bright flowers, ensuring your garden always has a focal point.
• Graceful Movement: The slender, arching leaves and feathery plumes sway elegantly in the breeze, lending a sense of dynamic movement and softness to your landscape. This natural motion adds a calming and captivating element, enhancing the overall garden experience.
• Extended Seasonal Interest: Beyond its vibrant summer foliage, Red Fountain Grass produces attractive pinkish-tan plumes in late summer to early fall. These plumes mature to a silvery color, providing continued visual appeal and texture well into the autumn months, making it an excellent choice for ornamental grass fall color.
• Drought-Tolerant: Once established, this ornamental grass is remarkably drought-tolerant, making it an ideal selection for water-wise gardening and regions with drier climates. Its ability to thrive with less water contributes to its reputation as a drought tolerant grass.
• Low Maintenance: This grass is relatively easy to care for, requiring minimal attention once established. Annual pruning in late winter or early spring to remove old growth is typically all that’s needed to encourage fresh, vigorous shoots, making it a truly low maintenance grass.
• Versatile Landscaping Use: Whether used as an accent plant, in mass plantings for a dramatic effect, or as a border along pathways, Red Fountain Grass adapts beautifully. It fits well in modern, contemporary, coastal, and xeriscape gardens, offering flexible design options.
• Pest Resistant: Generally, Red Fountain Grass is resistant to most common garden pests, reducing the need for chemical treatments and ensuring a healthier garden environment. This natural resilience adds to its appeal as an easy-care plant.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your Red Fountain Grass bare root plants is straightforward, ensuring they establish quickly and flourish into magnificent specimens. This ornamental grass thrives with adequate sunlight and well-drained soil, making it a resilient addition to many garden types. To encourage the most intense burgundy coloration in its foliage, plant your Red Fountain Grass in a location that receives full sun, meaning at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. While it can tolerate some partial shade, the color may be less vibrant. Ensure the soil is well-draining, as this plant does not like to sit in soggy conditions. It is adaptable to various soil types, from sandy to loamy, but prefers a moderately fertile environment.

Watering should be consistent during the establishment phase for your Pennisetum Rubrum plant. Once established, Red Fountain Grass is notably drought-tolerant, requiring less frequent watering. Overwatering can lead to root rot, so always check the soil moisture before watering again – the top few inches should feel dry. For fertilization, a balanced slow-release granular fertilizer in early spring can support vigorous growth, though it is not strictly necessary in rich soil. This low maintenance grass benefits from annual pruning in late winter or early spring. Cut back the old foliage to about 4-6 inches from the ground before new growth emerges to maintain its tidy, fountain-like shape and encourage fresh, healthy shoots. This practice is crucial for the vitality and appearance of your ornamental grass fall color throughout the season.

Regarding hardiness, Red Fountain Grass is typically hardy in USDA Zones 9 to 11. In cooler climates (Zones 8 and below), it can be grown as an annual or brought indoors during winter months to protect it from frost. While generally pest-resistant, an occasional check for common garden pests will ensure its continued health. Proper spacing, usually 3 to 4 feet apart, allows each plant to reach its full size and display its graceful form without overcrowding. Following these simple care guidelines will ensure your drought tolerant grass thrives and provides year-round beauty.

Size & Details

Each order includes 5 Red Fountain Grass bare root starter plants, ready for planting to establish quickly in your garden. These bare root starters are a cost-effective and efficient way to introduce this beautiful ornamental grass to your landscape. Upon planting, these Pennisetum Rubrum plants will rapidly develop into mature specimens, typically reaching a height of 3 to 4 feet with a similar spread. This creates a substantial, fountain-like mound of foliage that adds significant architectural interest and texture to garden beds, borders, and containers. The growth rate is fast, allowing you to enjoy the full beauty of the vibrant burgundy leaves and feathery plumes within the first growing season.

The plants are shipped without pots and soil, ensuring a lighter package and allowing for direct planting into your prepared garden beds or larger containers. This method reduces transplant shock and encourages the development of a robust root system. Expect the characteristic ornamental grass fall color to emerge as the season progresses, with the foliage intensifying in hue and the soft, pinkish-tan plumes appearing in late summer. These plumes can reach up to 12 inches long, gracefully swaying in the wind. The Red Fountain Grass bare root form ensures that you receive healthy, vigorous plants ready to thrive in their new environment, providing a beautiful and low maintenance grass solution for your landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this plant get? A: Red Fountain Grass bare root plants typically grow to a height of 3 to 4 feet with a similar spread, forming a lush, fountain-like mound. This size makes it suitable for various landscape uses, from accent planting to mass displays.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: Red Fountain Grass is primarily an outdoor plant, thriving in full sun in USDA Zones 9 to 11. In colder climates, it can be grown as an annual or overwintered indoors, making it a versatile Pennisetum Rubrum plant.
• Q: How much sunlight does it need? A: For optimal growth and the most vibrant burgundy foliage, this ornamental grass requires at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. Full sun exposure ensures the best color and bloom production for your ornamental grass fall color.
• Q: What condition will it arrive in? A: Your order will contain 5 Red Fountain Grass bare root starter plants, meaning they will arrive without soil or a pot. This method encourages rapid root establishment once planted.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, Red Fountain Grass is considered a low maintenance grass. Once established, it is drought-tolerant and generally pest-resistant, requiring minimal care beyond annual pruning.
• Q: When is the best time to plant Red Fountain Grass bare root? A: The best time to plant bare root grasses is typically in spring after the last frost, allowing the plant ample time to establish its root system before the heat of summer.
• Q: Will it survive winter in my zone? A: Red Fountain Grass is hardy in USDA Zones 9 to 11. In zones below 9, it is often grown as an annual or must be protected from winter cold, confirming its status as a drought tolerant grass that prefers warmer climates.
• Q: What type of soil does Red Fountain Grass prefer? A: It prefers well-drained soil and can tolerate a variety of soil types, including sandy to loamy conditions. Good drainage is crucial to prevent root rot.
• Q: Can the plumes be used for floral arrangements? A: Yes, the feathery plumes of Red Fountain Grass are excellent for both fresh and dried floral arrangements, adding an airy and elegant touch to bouquets.
• Q: How far apart should I plant these bare roots? A: For optimal growth and display, it’s recommended to plant your Red Fountain Grass bare roots approximately 3 to 4 feet apart, allowing each plant sufficient space to reach its mature size.