20 Red Fountain Grass Bare Root Plugs – Pennisetum ‘Rubrum’ Ornamental Grass

Overview

Transform your garden with these 20 red fountain grass bare root plugs, offering an effortless way to introduce striking color and dynamic texture to your outdoor spaces. Known botanically as Pennisetum setaceum ‘Rubrum’, this exceptional ornamental grass is celebrated for its vibrant burgundy foliage and elegant, feathery flower plumes. Each plug provides a healthy start for a plant that will grow into a lush, fountain-like mound, adding movement and visual interest to any landscape. Ideal for mass plantings, borders, or as an accent, this colorful landscape grass is a favorite among gardeners seeking low-maintenance beauty and year-round appeal.

The ‘Rubrum’ variety of red fountain grass bare root plugs offers a dramatic focal point with its deep red to purple coloration that intensifies under full sun. Its arching leaves and soft, pinkish-tan plumes create a captivating display from late summer through fall, extending garden interest well into the cooler months. These bare root plugs are ready to plant, ensuring a strong start for robust growth and a spectacular garden presence.

Key Benefits

The red fountain grass bare root plugs provide numerous advantages for both novice and experienced gardeners, enhancing any landscape with their unique characteristics and ease of care. Discover the remarkable benefits these ornamental grasses bring:

• Stunning Visual Appeal: Enjoy vibrant burgundy to purple foliage that adds a rich, contrasting color to your garden beds and borders. The graceful arching leaves create a dynamic, fountain-like silhouette that captivates the eye.
• Feathery Flower Plumes: From late summer to fall, delicate pinkish-tan plumes emerge, swaying gently in the breeze. These soft, airy flowers add a touch of elegance and movement, maturing to a silvery hue for extended interest.
• Low Maintenance: Once established, this pennisetum rubrum ornamental grass is remarkably drought-tolerant and requires minimal care. Annual pruning in late winter or early spring is typically all that’s needed to maintain its vigor and appearance.
• Versatile Landscaping Use: Perfect as an accent plant, in mass plantings, mixed borders, or along pathways. Its clumping habit makes it suitable for modern, contemporary, coastal, and even xeriscape designs, providing a natural focal point.
• Fast Growing: These red fountain grass bare root plugs establish quickly, allowing you to enjoy their full beauty sooner. They rapidly grow to their mature size, providing instant impact in your garden design.
• Attracts Wildlife: While generally pest-resistant, the plumes can attract beneficial insects and provide shelter for small wildlife, adding to your garden’s biodiversity.
• Cut Flower Potential: The beautiful plumes can be cut for fresh floral arrangements or dried to create lasting bouquets, bringing the beauty of your garden indoors.

Plant Care & Growing Tips

Caring for your red fountain grass bare root plugs is straightforward, ensuring these beautiful ornamental grasses thrive in your landscape. This resilient plant is known for its adaptability and relatively low maintenance requirements, making it an excellent choice for a wide range of garden styles. Proper care will ensure vibrant foliage and abundant feathery plumes.

For optimal growth, red fountain grass requires full sun, meaning at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. The more sun it receives, the more intense its burgundy foliage color will become. It thrives in well-drained soil and is tolerant of various soil types, though it prefers sandy to loamy conditions. Ensure the planting site does not retain standing water, as this can lead to root rot. Once established, this ornamental grass is quite drought tolerant grasses, requiring less frequent watering. During dry spells, especially in its first year, provide regular watering to help it establish a strong root system. Fertilization is generally not heavily needed; a light application of a balanced, slow-release fertilizer in early spring can promote vigorous growth.

Red fountain grass care also involves annual pruning. In late winter or early spring, before new growth appears, cut back the entire plant to about 4-6 inches from the ground. This encourages fresh, healthy shoots and maintains its attractive clumping form. While generally pest-resistant, keep an eye out for common garden pests and address any issues promptly. In cooler climates (outside USDA Zones 9-11), it can be grown as an annual or brought indoors for winter protection. Providing good air circulation and avoiding overly wet conditions will help prevent fungal issues.

Size & Details

These 20 red fountain grass bare root plugs are shipped ready for planting, offering a robust start for your garden. Each plug is a young, healthy specimen, carefully prepared to ensure successful transplantation and vigorous growth. Once established, this pennisetum rubrum ornamental grass typically grows to a height of 3 to 4 feet with a similar spread, forming a dense, clumping mound. The slender, arching leaves can reach lengths of 2 to 3 feet, displaying a stunning deep red to purple coloration that intensifies in full sun. The airy, fluffy flower spikes, which emerge in late summer to early fall, can grow up to 12 inches long, adding significant vertical interest and dynamic movement to your landscape.

As a perennial in USDA Zones 9 to 11, it will return year after year, providing continuous beauty. In colder regions, it can be enjoyed as an annual, offering spectacular seasonal color. The plant’s rapid growth rate means you won’t have to wait long to see its full, fountain-like appearance. These bare root plugs are an economical and effective way to achieve a significant planting of this beautiful colorful landscape grass, creating impactful garden designs with ease.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Q: How large will the red fountain grass grow? A: Red fountain grass bare root plugs typically mature into plants that reach 3 to 4 feet in height and spread, forming an attractive, fountain-like clump. The feathery plumes can extend an additional 12 inches above the foliage.
• Q: Is this an indoor or outdoor plant? A: This is primarily an outdoor ornamental grass. While it can be grown as an annual in colder climates, it thrives outdoors in full sun in USDA Zones 9-11.
• Q: How much sunlight does red fountain grass need? A: For the best color and growth, red fountain grass requires at least 6 hours of direct full sun daily. Insufficient sunlight can lead to less vibrant foliage color.
• Q: What condition will the bare root plugs arrive in? A: The red fountain grass bare root plugs will arrive without soil or a pot, carefully packaged to ensure they are healthy and ready for immediate planting upon arrival.
• Q: Is this plant easy to care for? A: Yes, red fountain grass care is considered low-maintenance. Once established, it is drought-tolerant and primarily requires annual pruning in late winter or early spring.
• Q: When is the best time to plant these bare root plugs? A: Bare root plugs are best planted in spring or early summer after the last frost, allowing them ample time to establish roots before extreme heat or cold.
• Q: Will this ornamental grass survive winter in my zone? A: Pennisetum rubrum ornamental grass is hardy in USDA Zones 9 to 11. In cooler zones, it is typically grown as an annual or can be overwintered indoors if protected from frost.
• Q: What type of soil does red fountain grass prefer? A: It prefers well-drained soil and can tolerate a variety of soil types, but flourishes best in sandy to loamy conditions. Avoid heavy, waterlogged soils.
• Q: Can I use red fountain grass in a container? A: Yes, this colorful landscape grass can be grown in large containers, especially in colder climates where it can be moved indoors for winter protection. Ensure the container has good drainage.
• Q: Are these plants considered drought tolerant grasses? A: Yes, once established, red fountain grass is quite drought-tolerant, making it an excellent choice for water-wise gardens and xeriscapes.