Purple fountain grass

Garden Forum » Grasses in the Garden Forum » Purple fountain grass « Previous    Next »

Author Message   Goswimmin  My Favorite Photo My Weather Posted on Friday, July 25, 2003 - 05:13 pm:    This is my first year for grasses and everything I have is very small. The one that is making the best show right now is the purple fountain grass. I have heard that it is not going to come back in zone 7b. I was hoping to put it in a pot in my basement for the winter. Has anyone had any luck with that? Mary Mary Wenger Georgia zone7   Kniphofia  My Favorite Photo My Weather Posted on Monday, July 28, 2003 - 04:03 pm:    I love this grass, but it has to be grown as an annual here, I think you could risk leaving it in the ground in zone 7, or at least give it a little protection. I'd be interested to hear what others experience has been. Sue Central Maine z4   Bloomorselse  Posted on Monday, July 28, 2003 - 04:05 pm:    I too love this grass. Tried to find it the last two years here without success. Maybe you could save the seed head in case it doesn't survive the winter, but my guess is that in zone 7 it might. Joan B New Brunswick Canada Zone 4b   Kvilledude  My Weather My Garden Posted on Monday, July 28, 2003 - 05:40 pm:    According to several nurseries in NC zone7A, this plant is not hardy outside. That is the main reason I have never purchased it even though I have always thought it was gorgeous. You might be able to get away with it in zone 7b Mary, but I would not want to chance it. I think I would try to dig it up and keep it as a house plant in a very sunny window. Kvilledude North Carolina Zone 7   Kvilledude  My Weather My Garden Posted on Friday, August 01, 2003 - 11:22 am:    Mary, following is a response about purple fountain grass I found while looking through GW's grasses forum: By purple fountain grass, do you mean Pennisetum setaceum rubrum? Because, although GardenWeb insists I'm in Zone 8, I'm actually 7b (north of Columbia, SC). I know Pennisetum setaceum rubrum is described as an annual, but this past winter, I kept my plant in our garage and this summer it's just gorgeous. And this past winter we had snow and ice and lots of freezing temps Kvilledude North Carolina Zone 7   Periwinkle  My Favorite Photo My Weather My Time Posted on Friday, August 01, 2003 - 06:08 pm:    AHA! Grown as a annual....THAT's why mine didn't come back (wish the greenhouse hadn't had it on sale with the perennial grasses). DENISE in Northern Wisconsin z3b   Cajetana  My Favorite Photo My Garden My Time Posted on Saturday, September 13, 2003 - 02:56 pm:    People in our nurserys also said that it is hardy, but I know, that this isn't right. A friend of mine had it in the sleeping room during the winter and she handled it like a house plant and it grows very well this year. In her room had been a temperature about 17° Celsius, I think thats about 62°Fahrenheit. Greetings, Katrin Katrin Austria Zone 7   Addict  Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 06:23 pm:    It is a South African native deciduous perennial. No point saving seed it is sterile - propagation by division only. It is not hardy and needs a minimum temperature of 10 C. I've tried 5 C and it died from botrytis. Needs to be kept on the dry side when dormant. addict suffolk zone 8 UK   Goswimmin  My Weather Posted on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 - 08:44 pm:    I did in fact keep that plant over the winter. I dug it up and put it in my basement on the dry side. It is now blooming outside for me. It took it awhile to make it's seed heads, way longer than the ones in the stores for sale. I bought some with seed heads then put my old one in the ground as well. I am glad I dug it up and saved it as my neighbor thought it was hardy and lost his. Lowe's this year is selling them with a one year warranty on them. Mary This is how it looks this year. Goswimmin - Georgia, Zone "7b"   Fritillary  My Weather Posted on Wednesday, August 11, 2004 - 11:03 pm:    Denise, I live in zone 9b and it is perennial here. It has lovely leaves all year and blooms from July to September. So technically it is an evergreen perennial in it's native climate (albeit a very warm one!) Fritillary Florida Zone 9B   Kathie2342000  Posted on Wednesday, September 29, 2004 - 06:28 pm:    Planting it from seed is very easy, I continue to do it here in zone 5, however the plants do try to revert to the green parent. try to collect the purple seed heads only. The green offspring is nothing to turn your nose up at it is a good accent also. Kathie2342000   Addict  Posted on Thursday, September 30, 2004 - 03:17 am:    Its native climate is S.Africa where it is a deciduous perennial as the extreme seasons cause it to stop growing when it is very dry and the leaves die back. It may be evergreen in Florida as you don't get the same extreme seasonality. I'm interested to learn Kathie has had success with seed as all nurseries I know list it as sterile and only propagates vegetatively. addict suffolk zone 8 UK   Goswimmin  My Weather Posted on Friday, October 01, 2004 - 07:45 pm:    The 2 plants that I brought into the basement for the winter and took out in the spring produced leaves but no 'flowers'(well, maybe 1 or2 on one of them). I guess I will just buy it as an annual each year. Mary Goswimmin - Georgia, Zone "7b"   Kathie2342000  Posted on Saturday, October 09, 2004 - 05:06 pm:    Addict, I plant a lot perhaps ten to fifteen pots and lots of seed to each. Slow to germinate, but have had success, proves that not all seeds are steril, just takes a bit more patience. Here I start mine around Jan. and continue on untill April, always manage to get six or seven good pots. Kathie2342000   Vicki  My Favorite Photo Posted on Friday, November 05, 2004 - 07:51 pm:    Pennisetum setaceum rubrum is my favorite ornamental grass. It is perennial in my Zone 9 garden. During the winter it goes dormant and the blades turn brown. In early Spring, I cut it back to about 6 inches from the ground and it starts over again. With any luck, I will be able to show you a few pictures of mine. I'm new here, so maybe this won't work. Vicki, California, USDA 9, Sunset 14   Goswimmin  My Weather Posted on Friday, November 05, 2004 - 08:12 pm:    That looks spectacular with your roses. They both complement each other so nicely. Welcome to Gardenbuddies. Your pictures turned out great. I wish the grass was perennial here as well. I just buy one every year as early in spring as I can so that I can enjoy it till I dig it up the next spring. Mary Goswimmin - Georgia, Zone "7b"   Gardenfiend  My Weather Posted on Saturday, November 06, 2004 - 03:52 am:    Welcome! The picture is truly lovely! I also very much enjoyed reading what you wrote about your garden, it sounds wonderful! I hope you'll post many more pictures from it. Mara Germany zone 6-7   Gardenbug  Posted on Saturday, November 06, 2004 - 09:25 am:    Enjoyed reading your garden story with your profile. Wish I could grow some of the lovely plants you grow with ease in "the other" CA. Gardenbug Ontario zone 4b/5b   Frostycurls  My Garden Journal My Weather My Garden Posted on Saturday, November 06, 2004 - 11:04 am:    Lovely pictures and I also enjoyed reading "your garden story". That's what gardening is all about, having fun. Penny Oregon Zone 7   Vicki  My Favorite Photo Posted on Saturday, November 06, 2004 - 04:33 pm:    Thank you all for the warm welcome! This looks like a good group, reflective of the name, GardenBuddies. Vicki, California, USDA 9, Sunset 14   Treanna  Posted on Saturday, August 12, 2006 - 10:54 am:    I bought 4 this spring. They are fast growers and lovely color in the garden. I am purchasing a few more to line the driveway. Another grass I'm fond of is this giant feather grass. I love the way it billows in the breeze..green stalks, silvery top. Have many of these planted in ground and pots. Lovely photos Vicki! Treanna - California, Zone "Changes with age"

Add Your Message Here Post: Swallowtail