Leaf
David J. Stang, Wikimedia · CC BY-SA 4.0
Chinese fountain grass
Pennisetum alopecuroides (L.) Spreng.
Also known as: Fountain grass, Swamp foxtail grass
Family: Poaceae
60 cm to 1 m tall
Grown in sunny borders, free-draining soil
Flowering: August – October
Full sun
Fairly hardy, to about -15°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
The fluffy flower spikes of Chinese fountain grass, soft to the touch like the fur of a small animal, earn it the nickname of bottlebrush grass — they remain decorative from late summer until the first frosts.
🍃 Leaves
Fine, arching, forming a dense clump
🌸 Flowers
Fluffy cylindrical spikes, pinkish-brown, resembling small foxtails
🍎 Fruits
Small caryopsis
🪵 Bark
Dense herbaceous clump, no woody stem
🗺️ Distribution
Native to East Asia; widely grown in France as an ornamental grass
🐝 Value for pollinators
Mainly wind-pollinated, of little interest to pollinators
✂️ Horticultural uses
Ornamental grass planted for its decorative fluffy spikes from late summer to autumn, very popular in contemporary borders
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No notable toxicity known
🌿 Other Poaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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