''Cenchrus alopecuroides'', previously ''Pennisetum alopecuroides'' (Pen-ih-SEE-tum al-oh-pek-yur-OY-deez), commonly known as the Chinese pennisetum, Chinese fountaingrass, dwarf fountain grass, foxtail fountain grass, or swamp foxtail grass, is a

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

of perennial

grass Poaceae ( ), also called Gramineae ( ), is a large and nearly ubiquitous family (biology), family of monocotyledonous flowering plants commonly known as grasses. It includes the cereal grasses, bamboos, the grasses of natural grassland and spe ...

native Native may refer to: People * '' Jus sanguinis'', nationality by blood * '' Jus soli'', nationality by location of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Nat ...

to Asia and Australia. The culms are erect, and 60–100 cm long. The leaf-blades are erect or drooping; flat, or

conduplicate The following terms are used to describe leaf morphology in the description and taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (that is, the leaf blade or 'lamina' is undivided) or compound (that is, the leaf blade is divided into two or more leaflets) ...

(folded lengthwise) or

involute In mathematics, an involute (also known as an evolvent) is a particular type of curve that is dependent on another shape or curve. An involute of a curve is the Locus (mathematics), locus of a point on a piece of taut string as the string is eith ...

(spiral); and from 10 to 45 cm long by 3–6 mm wide. The Latin

specific epithet In Taxonomy (biology), taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin gramm ...

''alopecuroides'' means "like the genus ''

Alopecurus ''Alopecurus'', or foxtail grass, is a common and widespread genus of plants in the grass family. It is common across temperate and subtropical parts of Eurasia, northern Africa, and the Americas, as well as naturalized in Australia and on vari ...

'' (foxtail)".

Description

The plant is a warm season ornamental grass which typically grows in graceful, spreading clumps from tall and wide. It features narrow, medium to deep green leaves (to 1/2" wide) in summer, changing to golden yellow in fall, and fading to beige in late fall. The foliage usually remains attractive throughout the winter. Showy, silvery to pinkish-white, bristly, bottle brush-like flower spikes arch outward from the clump in late summer like water spraying from a fountain (hence the common name "fountain grass"). The flower spikes turn brownish as the seeds form, and usually persist until late fall or early winter before shattering. Many cultivars are available in horticulture, ranging in height from and featuring a variety of different flower colors (purples, pinks or whites) and autumn foliage.

Growing conditions

The plant generally needs a sheltered position in full sun to light shade. It prefers moist, well-drained soil. It will grow in any mild or coastal area where the temperature does not fall below . The best time of the year for planting is between late Summer and Winter.

Cultivars

The following

cultivar A cultivar is a kind of Horticulture, cultivated plant that people have selected for desired phenotypic trait, traits and which retains those traits when Plant propagation, propagated. Methods used to propagate cultivars include division, root a ...

s have received gained the

Royal Horticultural Society The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity. The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr ...

Award of Garden Merit The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. It includes the full range of cultivated p ...

: *'Cassian's Choice' (brown flowerheads flushed pink) *'Hameln' (purplish flower heads) *'Red Head' (dark red flower heads)

References

GrassBase entry
{{Taxonbar, from=Q1433037 alopecuroides Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Ornamental grass