Purple Lea® Fountain Grass

Purple Lea Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides 'PA400') is the native fountain grass to choose when you want the full sized plant and the showiest plume. It forms a rounded clump of arching green foliage about 80cm to 90cm tall and as wide, and from summer into autumn it carries feathery purple flower heads that stand out against the green. Bred by Ozbreed from the Australian species, it is frost and drought tolerant and not the invasive African fountain grass.

Why you'll love it

• Purple plumes. The flower heads are a true soft purple, wide and feathery, and they catch the low light of late afternoon.
• A native, not a weed. It comes from the Australian species, with the much wider plume that sets it apart from the weedy exotic, and it is not invasive.
• Frost and drought tolerant. Listed for every state from Queensland to Tasmania, it takes the cold winters of the tablelands and the dry summers of the west.
• Any soil. Sandy to heavy clay, with no special preparation.
• One cut a year. A single trim in late autumn or winter is the whole maintenance programme.

Where it works best

Mass planting. Plant 60cm apart, between two and six plants per square metre, and the clumps merge into a flowing mass within two seasons. One to two plants per linear metre runs it along a border.

Accent and feature planting. Three or five clumps among low groundcovers or strappy leaf plants give height, movement and a purple haze from midsummer. It is as happy as a single specimen beside a gate or in a large pot.

Rockeries and low maintenance gardens. The arching habit softens boulders and dry stone walls, and once established it asks for nothing but the annual cut.

Growing Purple Lea Fountain Grass in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade, with the plumes heaviest in full sun. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean and arid or semi arid gardens in every state and the ACT.

Soil. Sandy to heavy clay. Average drainage is enough.

Water and feed. Water as needed for the first 8 to 13 weeks, then only through long dry spells. Chunky mulch, and a slow release fertiliser in late winter.

Pruning. Trim the whole clump back to a third of its size each year in late autumn or winter, which removes the spent plumes and keeps the clump dense from the base. In warm wet districts (northern New South Wales and Queensland after a warm wet winter, boggy spots, over irrigated beds) it may regenerate from seed; remove the spent heads before they drop if you would rather it did not.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Purple Lea Fountain Grass in 140mm pots in packs of 10. That is a well rooted young clump that roots away fast in warm soil and usually plumes the following summer. Grasses travel well, and a flattened leaf on arrival stands up again within days. Expect the full 80cm to 90cm by the end of the second growing season.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse the full fountain grass range
• See the full Ozbreed range
• More grasses and strappy leaf plants
• More Australian native plants

Common questions

Is it invasive?

No. The invasive fountain grass is the African Pennisetum setaceum, with a narrow plume. Purple Lea is bred from the Australian species and is not an invasive weed, though it can self seed in warm wet conditions if the heads are left to drop.

When should I cut it back?

Late autumn or winter, once the plumes have faded, taking the clump to about a third of its size. Cutting in spring removes the new growth and delays the plumes.

How tall is it in flower?

The clump sits at about 80cm to 90cm with the purple plumes carried at the top of it, so allow close to 1m of height in a border.