5 Red Fountain Grass Plant, Pennisetum ‘Rubrum’ Bare Root Starter – Perennial

Overview

Transform your garden into a captivating display of color and movement with our red fountain grass bare root starter plants. This offering includes 5 individual bare root starters of Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’, a highly sought-after ornamental grass. Known for its striking vibrant burgundy foliage and soft, feathery flower plumes, Red Fountain Grass creates a lush, fountain-like appearance that adds unparalleled texture and dynamism to any landscape. This perennial grass is a favorite among gardeners and landscape designers for its dramatic visual appeal and relatively low maintenance requirements. It’s an excellent choice for those looking to introduce year-round interest, especially its intense fall color, to their outdoor spaces.

The Pennisetum ‘Rubrum’ variety is celebrated for its deep red to purple leaves that intensify in full sun, providing a dramatic backdrop for other garden plants. As a live plant, these bare root starters are ready to establish quickly in your garden, growing into mature specimens that typically reach 3 to 4 feet in height and spread. Its graceful arching habit makes it an ideal accent plant, mass planting, or border element. Experience the beauty of this fast-growing ornamental grass and elevate your garden’s aesthetic.

Key Benefits

Choosing red fountain grass bare root plants for your garden offers a multitude of advantages, enhancing both the beauty and ease of maintenance of your landscape. These plants are not only visually stunning but also incredibly versatile.

• Dramatic Visual Appeal: The vibrant burgundy foliage and soft, pinkish-tan plumes create an eye-catching display, especially against green backdrops. This Pennisetum Rubrum plant adds a sophisticated touch to any garden design.
• Year-Round Interest: While its fall color is spectacular, the foliage and plumes provide visual interest from spring through autumn, and even into winter with dried plumes.
• Low Maintenance: Once established, Red Fountain Grass is notably drought-tolerant and requires minimal care, making it an excellent choice for busy gardeners. Its pest-resistant nature further reduces upkeep.
• Versatile Landscaping: Ideal for use as an accent plant, in mass plantings, mixed borders, or even in large containers. Its clumping habit ensures it integrates well into various garden styles, from modern to xeriscape.
• Adds Movement and Texture: The arching leaves and swaying feathery plumes introduce dynamic movement and fine texture, bringing life and softness to hardscaped areas.
• Fast Growth Rate: This fast growing fountain grass quickly establishes itself and reaches its mature size, allowing you to enjoy its full beauty sooner.
• Attracts Wildlife: While primarily ornamental, the plumes can provide shelter or nesting material for small birds, adding to your garden’s ecosystem.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your red fountain grass bare root plants is straightforward, ensuring a thriving and beautiful display in your garden. This perennial grass prefers specific conditions to achieve its most vibrant coloration and robust growth. For optimal health, plant your ornamental grass starter in a location that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. Full sun exposure is crucial for intensifying the deep red to purple hues of its foliage. Inadequate sunlight may result in greener leaves and fewer plumes.

Red Fountain Grass thrives in well-drained soil. While it tolerates a variety of soil types, it flourishes best in sandy to loamy conditions. Avoid heavy clay soils that retain too much moisture, as this can lead to root rot. Once established, this plant is quite drought-tolerant, meaning it won’t require constant watering. Water regularly during its first growing season to help it establish a strong root system. After that, water deeply but infrequently, allowing the soil to dry out between waterings. This Pennisetum Rubrum plant is hardy in USDA Zones 9 to 11. In cooler climates, it can be grown as an annual or overwintered indoors in a pot. Annual pruning in late winter or early spring is beneficial; cut back old growth to about 4-6 inches from the ground to encourage fresh, vigorous shoots.

Fertilization is generally not heavily required for this grass. A light application of a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring can promote healthy growth, but avoid over-fertilizing, which can lead to excessive green growth at the expense of its characteristic red coloration. Keep an eye out for common garden pests, though Red Fountain Grass is generally pest-resistant. With these simple care guidelines, your landscape grass fall color will flourish and provide stunning visual interest for many years.

Size & Details

This product includes 5 red fountain grass bare root starter plants, ready for immediate planting in your garden. Each bare root is carefully prepared to ensure successful establishment and vigorous growth. When mature, Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’ typically grows to a height of 3 to 4 feet, with a similar spread, forming an elegant, clumping mound. The slender, arching leaves can reach lengths of 2 to 3 feet, displaying a glossy sheen that beautifully catches the light. These bare roots are designed to develop quickly into substantial plants, offering a rapid impact on your landscape.

In late summer to early fall, this ornamental grass starter produces airy, fluffy flower spikes that emerge in a soft pinkish-tan hue, growing up to 12 inches long. These plumes mature to a silvery appearance, extending their aesthetic appeal well into autumn. This fast growing fountain grass is shipped without a pot, allowing for flexible planting directly into your garden beds or larger containers. Expect robust growth and vibrant coloration, particularly when planted in full sun conditions, making it an excellent investment for dynamic garden design.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How big does this red fountain grass bare root get? A: This red fountain grass bare root plant typically grows to a mature height of 3 to 4 feet with a similar spread, creating a beautiful fountain-like shape in your garden. Its plumes can reach up to 12 inches long.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: Red Fountain Grass (Pennisetum ‘Rubrum’) is primarily an outdoor ornamental grass. It thrives in full sun in garden beds, but can be grown in large outdoor containers. In colder climates (below USDA Zone 9), it can be treated as an annual or brought indoors for winter protection.
• Q: How much sunlight does the Pennisetum Rubrum plant need? A: This Pennisetum Rubrum plant requires at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily to achieve its most vibrant burgundy foliage and abundant feathery plumes. Full sun exposure is key for its best performance and color intensity.
• Q: Is this ornamental grass starter easy to care for? A: Yes, this ornamental grass starter is relatively low-maintenance once established. It’s drought-tolerant and pest-resistant. The main care involves annual pruning in late winter or early spring and ensuring it has well-drained soil and plenty of sun.
• Q: What condition will the bare roots arrive in? A: The 5 red fountain grass bare root plants will arrive in a dormant state, carefully packaged to ensure their health during transit. They are ready to be planted directly into your garden upon arrival.
• Q: When is the best time to plant this landscape grass fall color? A: The best time to plant these bare roots is in spring after the last frost, allowing them ample time to establish before the heat of summer or the cold of winter. This will ensure strong growth and vibrant landscape grass fall color.
• Q: What USDA Hardiness Zones is this fast growing fountain grass suitable for? A: This fast growing fountain grass is typically hardy in USDA Zones 9 to 11. Gardeners in cooler zones can grow it as an annual or provide winter protection by bringing it indoors.