PLANT PROFILE

What Flowering grasses, with long, bristly plumes from mid- to late summer.

Origins Asia, Africa and into Southern Pacific regions. Found in both warm temperate and sub-tropical zones.

Season Most pennisetums flower from midsummer into the autumn, and some continue to hold themselves together into winter.

Size Small, versatile pennisetums are about 40cm tall, while larger forms grow to over 1.5m. The warmer the climate/ season, the taller and larger the plants.

Conditions Most pennisetums need a temperate climate with warm summers. Although some can take drought when established, the Asian species do best in warm, moist soils that don’t sit wet in the winter.

Hardiness Many are hardy in all but the coldest parts of the UK, and some are tender perennials. All do best in a warm summer. Most have an RHS hardiness rating of H3 (hardy to temperatures of -5-1ºC) and, depending on species, are suitable for gardens in USDA zones 6a to 10b.

*Holds an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society. Hardiness ratings given where available.