What soil does Fountain grass grow in?

It tolerates these soils: average garden soil, sandy.

Is Fountain grass hardy?

Hardy down to -23 °C (USDA zone 6, RHS H7). It gets through winter everywhere at lower altitudes, but may not survive unprotected in a mountain garden.

How much water does Fountain grass need?

Water need: medium. Drought tolerance: medium.

How much does Fountain grass cost?

It sells for roughly €5.90 to €14 in local shops, depending on size.

Fountain grass

Pennisetum alopecuroides

Fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides) is an ornamental grass. Light: full sun, part shade. Hardy down to -23 °C. Drought tolerance: medium. Sold in local shops from about €5.90.

Illustration of Fountain grass — An illustration of the typical shape of the mature plant, not a photo.

What it's good for, and what it isn't

An ornamental grass forming a hemispherical, arching clump that carries soft bottlebrush plumes from late summer into autumn and turns golden yellow in autumn. The cultivars differ mainly in size, plume colour and flowering time: 'Little Bunny' is barely 30 to 45 cm, 'Hameln' is 45 to 60 cm and 'Cassian' 60 to 75 cm, 'Red Head' grows to over 1 m and flowers as early as July, while 'Black Beauty' and 'Moudry' have dark, blackish purple plumes. Late-flowering, heat-loving cultivars flower poorly or not at all in a cool, short summer, so pick an early one for a cooler site; plant it in a warm, sunny spot in well-drained soil, water it in summer because flowering depends on moisture, and cut it back only in spring.

Watch out for

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.

Key facts

Light: Full sun, Part shade
Water need: Medium
Care: Low
Size after 10 years: 90 cm × 90 cm
Hardiness: down to -23 °C
Foliage: Deciduous

Group	Ornamental grass
Light	Full sun, Part shade
Size after 10 years	90 cm × 90 cm
Ultimate size	0.3–1.5 m × 0.4–1.5 m
Hardiness	down to -23 °C (USDA 6, RHS H7)
Soil	Average garden soil, Sandy
Foliage	Deciduous
Flowering	July–October, white, pink, purple
Water need	Medium
Drought tolerance	Medium
Maintenance	Low
Root aggressiveness	Low
Suckering	no data
Spreading	Medium
Distance from buildings	no data
Distance from paving	no data
Litter	not typical
Planting distance	70 cm
For dogs	Non-toxic (uncertain)
For cats	Non-toxic (uncertain)
For children	Non-toxic (uncertain)
Typical price	from about €5.90

Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor.

Sizes and prices available

The same plant is sold as a small pot and as a specimen several metres tall, and the price follows. Prices are rounded and for guidance only.

Size	Typical price
size not stated	approx. €5.90 – €14

Frequently asked questions

Data updated: October 12, 2026 · How our data is made

Appears in these lists

Ground cover plants Plants for containers Ornamental grasses Plants with autumn colour Ornamental grasses with autumn colour

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Fountain grass vs Oriental fountain grass Fountain grass vs Ribbon grass

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