How to Care for and Feed Purple Fountain Grass

Purple fountain grass, Pennisetum setaceum Rubrum, is an ornamental, annual plant that is used as a backdrop for other plants or as a focal point on its own. In United States Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 and above, the plant is a perennial; elsewhere, it is grown as an annual, meaning it will last just one season. It gets its name from the dark purple-burgundy color of the blades and the light purple, feathery plumes that grow on erect stems. Although purple fountain grass thrives with little care, proper feeding will keep it looking healthy.

3-1-2 or 4-1-2 slow-release fertilizer
Mulch
Pruning shears

Instructions

- 1
  Water the soil around the grass to a 1-inch depth. Continue applying 1 inch of water each week if it doesn't rain.
- 2
  Spread a 3-1-2 or 4-1-2 slow-release fertilizer around the base of the purple fountain grass in the early spring. Reapply the fertilizer once a year each spring.
- 3
  Keep purple fountain grass in full sun. Prune back all overhanging shrub and tree limbs to allow full sunlight to reach it. This also improves the coloring of the grass.
- 4
  If you live in an area where purple fountain grass is a perennial, spread a 2-inch layer of mulch around the base of the grass in late fall to protect its roots from cooler temperatures during the winter.
- 5
  Purple fountain grass will turn brown and die back in the early to mid-winter. Cut all the dead stalks back to the ground with pruning shears to improve the appearance of the landscape. If you live in zone 8 or warmer, where the grass is a perennial, wait until early spring and cut the stalks back to 3 or 4 inches above the ground to prepare for new growth.

How to Regrow Ornamental Grass

Intermediate Wheatgrass Identification

Growing Grass