Fountain grass vs Ribbon grass

Fountain grass and Ribbon grass are often considered for the same spot in the garden (ground cover, container). The data below shows where they differ: size, hardiness, care, toxicity and price.

Fountain grass

Pennisetum alopecuroides 90 cm × 90 cm after 10 years

An ornamental grass forming a hemispherical, arching clump that carries soft bottlebrush plumes from late summer into autumn and turns golden yellow…

Ornamental grass

Full sun

Part shade

from about PLN 19

Ribbon grass

Phalaris arundinacea 1 m × 2 m after 10 years

Gardens grow its white-striped forms: they make a fresh, bright patch, live in almost any soil from shallow water to dry sand, and quickly knit into a…

Ornamental grass

Full sun

Part shade

from about PLN 19

Key differences

Ribbon grass: We do not recommend it for most Central European gardens. It spreads by shallow creeping rhizomes, and very fast: in moist, rich soil one plant covers several square metres within a few years and forms a solid stand that tolerates nothing else; in dry soil it is somewhat slower.
Ribbon grass grows larger: 1 m × 2 m after ten years, against 90 cm × 90 cm for Fountain grass (an estimate: sources differ).
Ribbon grass is hardier: down to -34 °C, against -23 °C for Fountain grass.
Ribbon grass also takes heavy clay, Fountain grass needs a loose, free-draining soil.
Fountain grass needs less care than Ribbon grass.

Which one to choose?

Fountain grass is the safer choice: we do not recommend planting Ribbon grass in most gardens.

Watch out for

Fountain grass

In Central Europe winter hardiness varies between cultivars and is borderline in cold, wet winters: in heavy, waterlogged soil part or all of the crown can die, so plant the crown slightly high, do not cut it back in autumn (the dry foliage protects it) and in exposed sites cover it with dry leaves or conifer branches. It starts into growth late in spring, only once the soil has warmed up for good. Most cultivars self-seed, 'Moudry' very freely, and the seedlings do not come true; if you do not want that, cut off the plumes before the seed ripens. In Hungary its first escape was described in 2020: along a road in Budapest it spread from planted clumps into pavement cracks and waste ground, and in Austria self-seeding has been observed in the warm, wine-growing regions. The EU invasive list does not include this species but its relative Pennisetum setaceum, which is sold here as an annual; it is not on the Hungarian, Slovak or Swiss lists either. The centre of an old clump thins out; divide it in spring when that happens.

Ribbon grass

It spreads by shallow creeping rhizomes, and very fast: in moist, rich soil one plant covers several square metres within a few years and forms a solid stand that tolerates nothing else; in dry soil it is somewhat slower. It is hard to get rid of because the smallest piece of rhizome left in the ground resprouts. What really contains it: a strong pot or tub sunk into the ground, a planting basket in and beside ponds, or in a bed a root barrier edging installed at planting time with its rim above soil level; without one you must cut round it with a spade every year and pull out the escaping runners. Do not plant it loose in a perennial border or a small garden. The form Feesey is whiter, shorter and somewhat less invasive than Picta. The green species is a native waterside plant here and across Europe, so it does not count as invasive in this region (it does in North American wetlands), but discarded rhizomes of the garden form will root on a natural bank, so never dump them there. By midsummer the leaves may brown and the stems flop; in winter the foliage dries and collapses.

The data side by side

Feature	Fountain grass	Ribbon grass
Group	Ornamental grass	Ornamental grass
Size after 10 years	90 cm × 90 cm (uncertain)	1 m × 2 m (uncertain)
Ultimate size	0.3–1.5 m × 0.4–1.5 m (uncertain)	0.6–1.5 m × 0.6–2.4 m (uncertain)
Growth rate	Medium (uncertain)	Fast (uncertain)
Light	Full sun, Part shade	Full sun, Part shade
Soil	Average garden soil, Sandy	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous, Acidic
Hardiness	down to -23 °C (USDA 6, RHS H7)	down to -34 °C (USDA 4, RHS H7)
Heat tolerance	High	Medium (uncertain)
Foliage	Deciduous	Deciduous (uncertain)
Flowering	July–October, white, pink, purple (uncertain)	June–July, white, pink
Water need	Medium	Medium
Drought tolerance	Medium	Medium
Maintenance	Low	High
Planting distance	70 cm	50 cm
For dogs	Non-toxic (uncertain)	no data
For cats	Non-toxic (uncertain)	no data
For children	Non-toxic (uncertain)	no data
Typical price	approx. PLN 23	approx. PLN 19

Prices are rounded, indicative values. Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor. Data updated: October 17, 2026

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