Is there a perennial purple grass?
While purple fountain grass is known as a perennial, it is actually considered a tender perennial. This ornamental grass cannot survive cold winters and is hardy only in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 9 and warmer (though in Zones 7-8 it can sometimes reappear given adequate winter protection).
Does purple fountain grass come up every year?
Purple fountain grass is a tender perennial. When grown in colder climates, it can be grown as an annual for summer and fall color.
Does purple grass come back?
Purple Fountain Grass is a tender perennial plant that will die back during the winter but can return and grow back during the spring.
Do you cut purple fountain grass back in the winter?
Fountain grass is a warm season grass that is dormant during the winter and begins growth after the coolest weather is past. You can trim the top any time from fall until growth resumes in the spring.
How do you take care of purple grass?
While purple fountain grass is considered a drought-tolerant ornamental grass, it should still be watered consistently as it’s getting established in your landscape. Give new plants water once or twice a week, about an inch total, allowing time for the soil to dry to the touch between each watering.
How do you overwinter purple fountain grass?
Keep the plants in a cool, not freezing, dark location with slightly moist soil. The goal is to keep the fountain grass dormant, not growing and not shriveling up, throughout the winter. In mid March, move the plants to a warm sunny location to get them started growing.
Is purple fountain grass invasive?
Fountain grass is present in much of the western United States and is a big problem invasive species in Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, and California. It is regulated as a noxious weed only in Hawaii, where it alters the fire cycle to the detriment of native plant and animal species.
Is purple fountain grass an annual or perennial?
perennial
Purple fountain grass is a perennial in Zones 9 and 10, but is frequently grown as an annual in cold-winter Zones.
How cold can purple fountain grass tolerate?
You’re right that purple fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’) is perhaps “marginally hardy” in your area, and is listed by several sources as being cold hardy to USDA Hardiness Zones 8 and 9, which means this species can make it through winters with temperatures reaching as low as 10 degrees Fahrenheit and …
Will ornamental grasses survive winter?
Most established ornamental grasses need little additional watering except in periods of drought. Most grasses go dormant in winter; those planted in the ground will survive with typical snow or rain. You can water grasses in containers only occasionally, since containers dry out so much.