Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Flowering Plants
Grass
Origin
Southwestern United States, California
Eastern Asia, Australia
Types
-
Pennisetum setaceum
Number of Varieties
4010
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, meadows
Grassland, open forests, wastelands, Wet lands
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-95-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
9 - 5
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.40 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Crimson
Ivory, Rose, Tan
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Sandy Brown, Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Light Green, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Tan, Sandy Brown
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong
Conduplicate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when soil is dry
occasional watering once established
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 10-10-10 amount
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Insects
eyespot, Leaf spot, Rust
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
songbirds
Allergy
Asthma
Pollen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Borders, Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Burns, Snakebite, Stomach aliments
-
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Seeds
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Used like flour
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Dried Flower / Everlasting, Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Foundation, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
PENSTEMON eatonii
PENNISETUM alopecuroides
Common Name
Firecracker Penstemon
Chinese Fountaingrass, Fountaingrass
In Hindi
Firecracker penstemon
Fountaingrass
In German
Kracher penstemon
Fountaingrass
In French
Firecracker penstemon
Fountaingrass
In Spanish
Penstemon del petardo
Fountaingrass
In Greek
πυροτέχνημα penstemon
Fountaingrass
In Portuguese
Penstemon do foguete
Fountaingrass
In Polish
petarda penstemon
Fountaingrass
In Latin
Firecracker Persicaria
Fountaingrass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Liliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Cyperales
Family
Scrophulariaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Penstemon
Pennisetum
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Paniceae
Subfamily
-
Panicoideae
Number of Species
250600
1
27800
👆🏻