Ornamental grass · North Texas care guide
Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum'
Nursery Pro tip: Burgundy blades and soft plumes. An annual here — replant each spring for the show.
Burgundy-purple blades and soft foxtail plumes, 3–4 ft, from May until frost. Technically a tropical, so we treat it as an annual grass here — it rarely survives our winter — but nothing else gives that color and motion for a single season's price.
Full sun; the purple fades in shade. Any drained soil. Space 2–3 ft apart. Spectacular as the centerpiece of a big container.
Spring, after the last freeze and the soil has warmed. Hole twice the pot width, ball at grade, native soil, Root Stimulator, mulch.
Weekly, more in pots. It establishes fast and asks little after that.
A feeding at planting and once midsummer.
Nothing during the season — just remove any tattered blades. Pull it after the first hard freeze, or leave the dried plumes standing for winter texture and pull it in February.
It will almost certainly not return in spring; plan to replant. Unlike the green species, it sets little viable seed, so it doesn't spread.
Container 'thriller' over trailing lantana or sweet potato vine; in beds with vinca, marigolds and salvia.
Written for Rockwall's black clay, heat and winters by the Landscape Source team. Every yard is different — bring a photo by, or ask LS-Ai, and we'll tailor it to your spot.