Pennisetum villosumFeathertop Grass

The plumes are the point. Pennisetum villosum carries soft cream bottlebrush flower heads on arching stems from midsummer, and a planted drift of it catches low light in a way very few grasses manage.

It is an Ethiopian highland species, tough, drought tolerant and undemanding, and it spreads by short rhizomes. That spread is worth checking against local weed listings, since it is a declared or listed invader in parts of Australia and California.

Specifications

• Height0.4 to 0.7 metres
• Width0.5 to 1 metre, spreading by short rhizomes
• Native toThe highlands of northeast tropical Africa, in Ethiopia and Eritrea
• FoliageNarrow, grey-green, arching leaves in dense tufts; semi-evergreen in warm climates
• Growth rateFast

Conditions

• SoilPrefers light, free-draining soils and tolerates poor and stony ground
• LightFull sun
• WaterLow; drought-tolerant once established
• ClimateThrives in Mediterranean, semi-arid and warm temperate regions

Additional Features

• FlowersSoft cream bottlebrush plumes on arching stems from midsummer into autumn
• UsesDrifts and mass planting in gravel gardens, median strips, verges and naturalistic schemes
• SpacingPlant 4 to 6 per square metre for a continuous drift
• Low MaintenanceCut back to the base in late winter; no feeding is needed
• Pest ResistanceGenerally trouble-free
• Drought ToleranceHolds condition and keeps flowering on very low irrigation
• Seasonal AppealPlumes persist and bleach attractively into winter

Feathertop Grass gives soft movement and long seasonal interest on dry ground, provided its spread is acceptable on the site.