Flora Meets Fauna Part 3 Pennisetum (Miniature Fountain Grasses)
Posted by John Friel on Nov 6th 2020
Don’t look now, but critters have taken root in your garden. Relax, they’re friendly – and they’re animals in name only. Let’s meet one... heck, make it two – in a single species!
Ordinarily, pigs and rabbits are two of the absolute worst visitors one could imagine in the garden. The rabbits will polish off everything above ground, while the pigs will root, root, root for what’s left.
We think you’ll be glad you made an exception for two of our favorite floral fauna.
Miniature Fountain Grass
These dwarf forms are as cute as their names. Their short, versatile stature makes them logical choices for edging and container use.
Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Little Bunny’ hopped onto our customers’ favorites list years ago, and it continues to charm. Standing a mere 12”, it features adorable little 2” “bunny tail” silvery-white plumes. It’ll handle full sun or part shade (but flowers better in sun), and it’s hardy in Zones 6 – 9.
P. a. ‘Piglet’PP19074: Smaller than ‘Hameln’, the staple variety in the species, and a bit taller than ‘Little Bunny’. Green leaves turn golden yellow in fall. Bottlebrush flowers open pinkish-white, maturing to brown and persisting into early winter. Height: 18”. Hardy in Zones 5 – 9.
Give your customers the gift of fauna-inspired flora. No need to chase them down; we’ve tamed them for you in smooth-handling, fast-finishing liners from Emerald Coast Growers – the easy choice!