Pennisetum setaceum Firework

The Pennisetum setaceum 'Fireworks', also known as Red Fountain Grass, is a perennial grass that is often cultivated as an annual in our climate. When it first emerges, its foliage is striped with red, pink, and green, transforming into soft, reddish-purple ribbons at maturity. From mid-summer to autumn, soft, purple-pink, becoming blonde, feathery plumes emerge from a fountain of gracefully arching foliage. This ornamental grass is versatile and essential. It adds a touch of exoticism and elegance to flower beds and is perfect for floral arrangements in both modern and romantic or natural compositions. Its inflorescences are stunning in dried bouquets. It thrives in well-drained, moist to dry soil and full sun.

Pennisetum setaceum Rubrum is a rhizomatous perennial plant native to tropical Africa that cannot tolerate temperatures below -8°C (17.6°F) but exhibits rapid growth. In our climate, it reaches maturity in a few months from a young plant, allowing it to be grown as an annual. The cultivar 'Fireworks', discovered in 2005, forms a fountain of rough, striped foliage that reaches 80 cm (32in) in height when flowering, with a width of 50 cm (20in), displaying particularly rich hues. The flowering period extends from July to October, longer if the autumn is mild. The arching plumes gracefully droop above the foliage, supported by stiff stems. They consist of tiny pink to purple-pink spikelets arranged in narrow, feathery panicles 20 to 30 cm (8 to 12in) long and covered in long hairs. As they fade, they take on a more straw-coloured hue.

Pennisetum setaceum Rubrum is the most well-known of the Pennisetum genus and remains popular among professional and amateur gardeners. It is versatile, both in its exotic and elegant appearance, ease of cultivation, and undemanding nature. It is well-suited to coastal areas and drought conditions, making it useful in dry gardens and flower pots or rockeries. Plant it en masse along pathways or create romantic scenes with autumn-flowering perennials such as asters, hardy chrysanthemums, and Japanese anemones. It also makes a good ground cover in mild climates.