Fountain Grass

Fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides), also sold as swamp foxtail, is the ornamental grass that does the most work for the least money. It forms a soft arching clump about 1m tall and 1m across, then throws up cream and pink bottlebrush plumes from late summer into autumn. It is genuinely tough: frost hardy, drought tolerant once established, and one of the few grasses that also copes with ground that stays wet.

Why you'll love it

• Movement and texture that lasts. The plumes hold into autumn and dry on the plant, so the display continues after the flowering shrubs finish.
• Tolerant at both extremes. Drought tolerant when established, but also happy with wet feet and coastal salt, which very few plants manage.
• Grows in most of the country. Frost hardy and suited to tropical, subtropical, warm temperate and cool temperate gardens.
• One job a year. Cut the clump back hard in late winter and it does the rest itself, while finches and wrens work the seed heads through autumn.

Where it works best

Mass planting and drifts. Plant 60cm apart. At that spacing the clumps touch and the planting moves as one mass, which is the whole point of using a grass.

Borders, slopes and pots. A single row 60cm apart softens a hard path edge without any clipping, and the fibrous roots knit into loose ground on a bank. One clump in a wide low pot works well on a balcony.

Growing fountain grass in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun. It will survive in part shade but the clump opens up, flops and flowers poorly. Frost hardy, so it suits cool temperate gardens as well as warm ones; in cold districts it browns off over winter and reshoots in spring.

Soil and water. Almost anything, including sand, clay and coastal soils, and unlike most ornamental grasses it handles a spot that stays damp. Water weekly through the first summer, then only in dry spells. It needs very little feeding, and overfeeding produces floppy growth.

Cutting back. Shear the whole clump to about 100mm above ground in late winter, before the new growth starts. Skip this and it builds a grey thatch in the centre and looks tired within three years.

Seeding, and where not to plant it. This is the honest drawback. Fountain grass sets viable seed and will self sow into adjoining beds, and it is a declared weed in parts of Western Australia and South Australia. Check your state and council rules before ordering, and never plant it where it can escape into bushland or a waterway.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in tube, in 140mm multipacks and in 200mm multipacks. Grasses establish so quickly that the small sizes are almost always the right buy: a tube planted in spring will be a full clump by the following autumn. Plants arrive with the foliage trimmed back for transport, which looks sparse in the box and is normal.

Plants are packed to travel upright and delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost. Expect new growth within three to four weeks in warm weather, and the first plumes in the first or second autumn after planting. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse ornamental grasses for landscaping
• Compare drought tolerant plants
• More low maintenance planting ideas
• Preparing a garden bed before planting

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Sixty centimetres apart. Each clump reaches about a metre across, so they overlap slightly and the drift reads as continuous by the second season.

Does it spread and become a problem?

It does not run at the root, but it does self seed. In a maintained garden that is easy to manage by cutting the plumes off in late autumn. In parts of Western Australia and South Australia it is a declared weed, so check your local rules first.

Will it grow in a wet spot?

Yes. A low corner that puddles after rain suits it, where most ornamental grasses would rot.