Pennisetum setaceum
Pennisetum setaceum is a lovely, graceful grass and the ‘Rubrum’ form is by far the most popular. It’s no wonder as the purple blades are topped with graceful waving flowers. The main drawback, however, is that it is not cold hardy in the North County. If it does survive the winter, it generally takes a long time to rejuvenate, so we usually advise our customers to buy it early in the season and enjoy it as an annual.
Pennisetum orientale is a much smaller grass with light pink flowers throughout the summer. It is a very charming small grass and is not considered to be at all invasive.