seeds of Pennisetum alopecuroides-red, Fountain grass ‘Red Head’

Pennisetum alopecuroides-red, also called Fountain grass ‘Red Head’, is a grass species that belongs to the family Poaceae. The plant’s synonyms include Alopeucurus indicus, Cenchrus alopecuroides, and Cenchrus asperifolius. Other common names for the plant include Chinese fountain grass, Chinese pennisetum, swamp foxtail grass, foxtail fountain grass, and dwarf fountain grass. The plant has its origins in Australia and large swaths of Asia. The plant can grow to a height of 60 to 100 cm. The plant’s leaves are either drooping or erect and have a length of 10 to 45 cm and a width of 3 to 6 mm. The leaves change in colour throughout the summer from deep green to yellow and eventually to beige. Flower-spikes are burgundy red and brush-like. The spikes grow from the clump and over time adopt a brown colour when the seeds begin to form. The plant seeds are edible, and one can grind them to make flour which is stored for use during harsh times. Cooking the flour and eating it immediately afterward is also an option. The grass is mostly grown for its ornamental attributes which derive from its burgundy spikes and attractive foliage which retains its appeal throughout the colour changes. Thus, the grass mostly grows in cultivated landscapes and gardens. Spacing individual plants 45 cm apart when cultivating them leads to the development of an impregnable ground cover. One is, therefore, spared the unfortunate outcome of spotting patches of uncovered ground which can look very unsightly. An added corollary is that the grass roots bind the soil together which protects them from erosion through surface runoff. Fountain grass ‘Red Head’ grows best in light, fertile, well-drained soils. The plant can cope with dry soils but not for too long. The propagation of the plant is viable through seeds and the division of the rootball.