fountain grass
Cenchrus alopecuroides
USDA zones6 to 9
SunHandles full sun to partial sun
WaterHandles moderate to wet soil
Size2.5 to 5 feet tall2.5 to 5 feet wide
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, autumn, winter
- Bloom color
- Silvery to pinkish-white
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, chalk
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Fountain grass (Cenchrus alopecuroides) is a grass for borders, containers, and accents. It is hardy to USDA zone 6, or down to -10°F (-23°C). This plant likes full or part sun and average to wet, sandy, loamy, or chalky soil. It grows 30 to 60 inches tall and wide, with silvery to pinkish-white blooms. It stays evergreen, tolerates drought, and draws birds. Deer usually look elsewhere for a meal.
Pairs well with Siberian iris, Hardy hibiscus, and Aster.
Native range
Eastern Asia to western Australia.