Hardiness zones
Sunset All zones
USDA 2 - 11

Landscape Use: Grass accent, use in groups of 3 to 5, bank cover, natural landscape. Of questionable future use as it has become invasive. I generally do not recommend it for Phoenix landscapes unless it's one of the fruitless varieties listed below.

Form & Character: Evergreen to deciduous grass, loose, informal, free

Growth Habit: Clumping and moderate to 4'

Foliage/texture: Green grass blade with tinged to pink, fine texture

Flowers & fruits: Bisexual florets on pink flower spikes, florets solitary or in groups of 2 to 3, surrounded by involucre bristles.

Seasonal color: Flower plumes in spring and fall

Temperature: Goes dormant in cold winter areas

Light: Full sun

Soil: Tolerant

Watering: Little to none once established, variety cupreum need more water than species to remain robust.

Pruning: In Phoenix, cut to ground in spring or in fall after flower. Actually the best way (though of questionable legality) to care for this plant is to burn it to the ground in the fall, as it will build up a thatch over time. Burned plants rejuvenate nicely. Silly landscape maintenance 'professionals' try to hedge this plant.

Propagation: Easy by seed. 

Disease and pests: None

Additional comments: Variety cupreum (purple fountain grass) has purple foliage and flower stalks, tends to rarely reseed. Other purple leaved cultivars include 'Burgundy Giant', 'Rubrum', 'Cupreum Compactum' and 'Rubrum Dwarf'. Cut flower plumes for flower arrangements. With the exception of sterile varieties, the invasive potential of this grass plant into the Sonoran Desert surrounding urban areas is high. Use with discretion!

Note that all but the fruitless varieties of this large bunch grass have naturalized in Phoenix urban landscapes and riparian areas in and outside of the city. It is invasive!