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| Front view from street |
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| Back view from front lawn |
I didn't plant this California perennial bunch grass - I inherited a few clumps of it with the house. I've been diligent about cutting it back in late winter and pulling out dead foliage to keep it looking good. It looks a bit scruffy immediately after being cut back but it recovers relatively quickly. Despite the deep reddish purple color of the leaves, its presence in my garden is relatively low key - until it blooms. In bloom, it can't be ignored. And it's almost as pet-able as a sleeping cat (without the claws).
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| Pipig woken from her nap by a human with the urge to pet her |
Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum' grows best in full sun with moderate irrigation. It's perennial in USDA cold zones 8-11 or Sunset zones 8-24. It reaches 2-4 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide. It's native to East Africa, tropical Africa, the Middle East, and Southwest Asia. It blooms from summer through fall.
See Loree's danger garden post for links to other gardeners showcasing their favorite plants this week.
Mine looks wonderful too! Of course I just planted it last Saturday so give me some time, I'll mess it up.
ReplyDeleteGiven some time, you'll discover what works there (and what doesn't). Planting anything in the heat of the Valley's summer is an act of faith, though.
DeleteThere are almost no plants that give me zone envy...but that is one of them!
ReplyDeleteYou mean there's something that doesn't grow in Portland, Scott? People talk as though everything grows in California but I've always thought that reputation should belong to the Pacific Northwest.
DeleteI love these; they are hardy here, but get too big for my garden. A common problem I'm afraid!
ReplyDeleteI understand. My former garden was tiny and most of my plants were also scaled down accordingly.
DeleteI have some of these new to me this year. I didn't realize they were perennials in zone 8, as mine were labeled only hardy to 40 degrees. Now I have hope that mine will be a permanent fixture in my garden. Like you, I just love them!
ReplyDeleteI quoted hardiness projections from one of the grower websites. Our own winter temps can get down to the mid-30s, although that doesn't usually happen for extended periods. I hope the grass makes it through your winter!
DeleteI love this grass! For several years I planted it every spring, knowing it would be an annual but doing what I had to do. You're lucky this one is a keeper for you!
ReplyDelete(oh and Pipig is a doll, are her eyes really that green?)
Her eyes are that green but the camera turned her pupils from black to a glowing blue, which makes her look like a space alien cat. Come to think of it, she's a little odd in other respects too - maybe she is a space alien cat.
DeleteThis is a beautiful plant which hates our cold, wet winters and has never overwintered happily under glass, so when I grow it, I treat it as an annual. You are so fortunate to be able to enjoy it as a perennial. Lucky, lucky you!
ReplyDeleteAh, yes, but I'm sure there are hundreds of things you can grown in the UK that I couldn't even manage as an annual. Thanks for visiting!
DeleteAnother annual here but one I plant in multiples every spring both in containers and in the ground. For the past couple of years I've been more enamored with Pennisetum 'Vertigo', a larger, bolder variety with dark foliage. Ooh-la-la! Even in my relatively short growing season it gets big in the ground. If you haven't already done so, give it a try.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the suggestion, Sue. I haven't seen 'Vertigo' here but I'll look for it.
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