Can you ID this grass?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Elaine W on October 7, 2021 at 16:48

Is it a pennisetum of some kind?

Permalink Reply by Alison P on October 7, 2021 at 19:00

I’m not that good on grasses but it looks like a pennisetum to me too. From a quick google what about P viridescens? Maybe not right as the flower doesn’t look as bushy - but right ball park?

Permalink Reply by Hugh on October 7, 2021 at 19:51

Thank you both. It looks almost certainly like a pennisetum. I'll have a proper investigate, but it looks like it might be Chinese Fountain grass or (Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln') or Pennisetum setaceum.

Thank you both again.

I've bought a few grasses over the past five years or so and I'm a fan. I love the movement they bring to the graden as they wave about in the breeze, I have a tall panicum which I place to lightly brush your face as you walk past.

Permalink Reply by Chrisandsally on October 8, 2021 at 7:57

Looks lovely Hugh. How high is it? From your photo I also think a fountain grass/pennisetum and I think a dwarf one.

Permalink Reply by Hugh on October 8, 2021 at 10:58

Thanks Sally. It's just over four feet high to the tips of the flower spikes. Does that count as dwarf? I've come relatively recently to grasses. So, my knowledge is even less than what I have for other garden plants. 

Permalink Reply by Hugh on October 8, 2021 at 10:56

Here's another picture of the flower spikes, showing the purplish fringes of the flowers. Click on the photo for a larger image.

Permalink Reply by Elaine W on October 8, 2021 at 14:14

I’ve just started to appreciate grasses a bit more this year. I love the “swishiness” and the movement they add to a border or just in a pot and they combine really well with the late summer summer flowering perennials like rudbeckia, heleniums, echinaceas and sanuisorbas. I particularly like pennisetums - saw Carol Klein cooing over a lovely one on the Chelsea Flower show coverage. It had a reddish tinge to the leaves and gorgeous fat flower plumes, like fox tails. Of course I can’t remember the name!

Permalink Reply by Hugh on October 8, 2021 at 14:53

Here you go: episode 9, about 15 mins in.  You'll need some space!

Permalink Reply by Elaine W on October 9, 2021 at 8:03

Brilliant! Thanks, Hugh.