Feather bristlegrass (bot. Pennisetum alopecuroides) has many names. Due to its cylindrical flower spikes, reminiscent of bottle brushes, the sweet grass is also known as fountain grass, sometimes also as Australian fountain grass, depending on its origin. The herbaceous, hardy plant adorns flower beds, herbaceous borders and tubs on terraces and balconies. With the right care, it looks attractive well into autumn.

Feather Bristle Grass is an easy-care, very pretty ornamental grass

Table of Contents

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  1. origin and distribution
  2. use
  3. appearance and growth
  4. leaves
  5. flowering and flowering time
  6. toxicity
  7. Which location is suitable?
  8. floor
  9. Plant feather bristle grass properly
  10. Water feather bristle grass
  11. Fertilize feather bristle grass properly
  12. Cut feather bristle grass properly
  13. Propagating feather bristlegrass
  14. hibernate
  15. diseases and pests
  16. species and varieties

    17. origin and distribution

    The feather bristle grass or lamp cleaner grass, as it is also known, belongs to the large family of sweet grasses (bot. Poaceae), and is originally native to the sunny plains of Australia. But the vigorous plant can also be found growing wild in East Asian countries such as China, Japan and Korea. The popular ornamental plant came to Europe very late, but quickly established itself after its introduction due to its high ornamental value and good frost tolerance.

    The feather bristle grass (bot. Pennisetum alopecuroides) is one of around 80 other lamp-brush species, but of all these it is the most widespread.

    use

    Because of its vigorous growth and pretty flowers, Pennisetum alopecuroides is suitable for a single position as well as for group planting in beds and borders. Numerous types of perennials can be used as planting partners. The feather bristle grass is very suitable as a rose companion, but can also be combined with wild perennials or autumn bloomers. Attractive garden pictures are created, for example, by socializing with autumn asters, phlox, lady's-eye, high sedum, coneflowers, catnip or delphiniums. Furthermore, the feather bristle grass also goes well with low ground cover. Varieties that remain small, such as 'Hameln', 'Cassian' or 'Little Bunny', are also suitable for growing in containers and decorate sunny terraces and balconies.

    appearance and growth

    The perennial feather bristle grass develops a lush clump with arching, overhanging leaves, over which the delicate spikes of flowers appear from the late summer months. The leaf clump forms an almost perfect hemisphere and looks more like a bush than clumpy grass. The species is about as tall as it is wide, with individual varieties such as 'Paul's Giant' reaching heights of growth of up to 150 centimeters. Others, such as 'Little Bunny' or 'Little Honey', remain significantly smaller with an average height of around 30 centimeters. The species itself reaches stature heights between 60 and 90 centimeters. The flower spikes are about 20 centimeters higher than the leaves.

    leaves

    The very narrow leaves of the feather bristle grass are a maximum of 12 millimeters wide. They are grey-green in color during the summer months, but tend to turn golden yellow in the fall. Some varieties, such as 'Hameln' and 'Cassian', develop a particularly attractive autumn color that can be reddish to amber. The leaves of the lamp cleaner grass still look very attractive in winter, but the new stalks do not sprout again until late in spring.

    flowering and flowering time

    The attractive flower spikes of the feather bristle grass are reminiscent of foxtails or small bottle brushes. Most varieties form brownish to pink-red flowers, which only appear in late summer and are a real feast for the eyes in beds or tubs between August and October. Even in winter, the withered ears of corn still serve as decoration, as the flowers do not fall apart immediately. However, this splendor only appears after warm and sunny summers. If, on the other hand, the warm season is short, cold and/or rainy, the flowering period can be completely or partially absent.

    toxicity

    The feather bristle grass is not poisonous to humans or animals. Caution is still required, because children playing can easily cut themselves on the hard straws. Pets also run the risk of the grass getting stuck in their windpipe or injuring their inner mucous membranes. For this reason, ornamental grasses should only be planted or set up where curious children and hungry pets cannot reach them.

    Which location is suitable?

    The feather bristlegrass needs a lot of sun and warmth, with daily sun exposure of at least four hours. The plant feels most comfortable in the southern areas of the garden, for example in open flower beds and borders without shadows cast by trees or walls. In locations that are too dark, on the other hand, the plant withers and usually dies quite quickly.

    floor

    The feather bristle grass feels most comfortable in normal, loose garden soil, which may contain fine gravel or clay. It is only important that the subsoil is not compacted, but well drained. If necessary, loosen the soil well and mix in gravel or sand. If, on the other hand, the lamp cleaner grass is cultivated in tubs, it is best to plant them in normal potting or standard soil, which can be mixed with sand or gravel. Appropriate drainage is also important so that excess water can drain off and waterlogging does not occur in the first place.

    Plant feather bristle grass properly

    When planting the feather bristle grass, make sure that it can be quite large and extensive and therefore takes up a lot of space. Keep a planting distance of at least 60 to 80 centimeters from other garden plants and avoid a location with high root pressure, for example from larger shrubs such as trees or hedges. This is not tolerated by the sensitive ornamental grass. The plant feels most comfortable in larger open spaces and in spacious rock gardens. Spring is the best time of year to plant feather bristle grass in the garden.

    Water feather bristle grass

    Potted plants should be watered regularly, while planted specimens should only be watered when necessary. This is the case, for example, in severe drought and/or summer heat. Make sure that the feather bristle grass does not tolerate waterlogging or permanently dry root balls. An indication of excessive dryness is often brownish discoloration on the leaf tips and stalks. In this case, you should water the plant in question vigorously. If you follow the instructions below, nothing can go wrong:

    • Water potted plants before the top layer of substrate dries out.
    • Use soft, low-lime water.
    • Rainwater and filtered or stagnant tap water are well suited.
    • Temper the water, because watering it with cold water will damage the feather bristlegrass.

    In the first few weeks after planting in particular, you should water the plants vigorously to facilitate rooting. During this time, the soil must not dry out.

    Fertilize feather bristle grass properly

    Regular fertilization only makes sense for tub specimens and for plants that have been established at the location for several years. You should fertilize especially during the exhausting flowering period, since the formation of the pretty flower spikes demands a lot from the plant. The following are particularly suitable as fertilizers:

    • liquid green plant or perennial fertilizer for grasses kept in pots
    • Compost soil or mature compost
    • if you have a garden pond, simply use nutrient-rich pond water
    • blue grain

    Never spread the fertilizer on dry soil, only on moistened ones. It is best to provide the plants with fertilizers dissolved in the irrigation water. Then the nutrients go straight to where they are needed.

    Cut feather bristle grass properly

    Cut the feather bristle grass about a hand's breadth above the ground in spring, this encourages new growth of fresh leaves. However, do not grab the scissors in autumn, because the long stalks serve as winter protection. On the other hand, if they are too short, there is a risk of frost and rot damage.
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    Propagating feather bristlegrass

    After a few years, the feather bristle grass tends to age, then only produces a few flowers and overall its growth no longer looks so luxuriant. You can easily stimulate it to sprout again by digging it up together with the rootstock, dividing it into several pieces and then replanting them separately.

    hibernate

    Most varieties of feather bristle grass are sufficiently hardy and can easily overwinter in sheltered locations in the garden. However, this does not apply to all varieties: Due to the lack of winter hardiness, many lamp cleaning grass should only be cultivated in pots and brought frost-free over the cold season. Other varieties, on the other hand, can stay outside, but need protective insulation, for example in the form of brushwood, straw or mulch.(239.00€) Do not kink the stalks when applying the protection, as this weakens the plant and makes it more susceptible to diseases or pests. Tie the straws together for this purpose.

    diseases and pests

    With a suitable location and careful care, the feather bristle grass is quite insensitive to diseases and pests. It usually only becomes a problem if the location is permanently too wet or too dry, in both cases fungal diseases can occur. Spider mites are also not uncommon in dry and warm locations.

    tips

    The flowering stalks of the feather bristle grass can be cut off and used dried for attractive dry arrangements. But the long culms also cut a fine figure in autumn flower arrangements or bouquets.

    species and varieties

    The feather bristle grass is available in different wild species, which are usually larger than the cultivated varieties. In addition to the species Pennisetum alopecuroides, the higher-growing and pink-flowering Pennisetum orientale (also known as "fine feather bristle grass") is also often planted in gardens. The selection of the variety should be based on the intended use and the available space. Small and not hardy ornamental grasses can also be cultivated in pots, while the larger varieties are better off in the garden bed.

    The most beautiful varieties of feather bristle grass:

    • 'Cassian': growth height up to 100 centimetres, light brown flower panicles
    • 'Compressum': growth height up to 100 centimetres, yellow-brownish panicles of flowers
    • 'Hameln': growth height up to approx. 50 centimetres, brown-red flower spikes, early flowering period from the beginning of summer
    • 'Autumn Magic': growth height of up to 80 centimetres, yellow-brownish panicles of flowers
    • 'Little Bunny': also dwarf lamp cleaner grass, growth height between ten and 30 centimeters
    • 'Moudry': growth height of up to 50 centimetres, purple to almost black pseudo-flowers
    • 'Red Hed': growth height up to 90 centimetres, pink to brown flower spikes between July and October

Category:

Herbs