Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants

Grass Like

Pennisetum thunbergii 'Red Buttons'

fountain grass 'Red Buttons'

'Red Buttons' is a deciduous, perennial grass with bright green foliage turning yellow in autumn and light brown in winter. Dark red, bristly flowers are produced on fine stems from mid-summer to early autumn

Synonyms

Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Red Buttons'
Pennisetum massaicum 'Red Buttons'
see morePennisetum 'Red Buttons'

Save to My plants

Buy this plant

Plant nurseries
19 suppliers

Ultimate height

0.5–1 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.5–1 metres

Chalk

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Drought resistance

Yes

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Poaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Pennisetum can be annual or perennial, evergreen or deciduous grasses, clump-forming or spreading in habit, with linear leaves and narrow flowering panicles with conspicuous bristles
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in a light, moderately fertile, well-drained soil. May need winter protection in colder areas

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown in containers in a warm glasshouse in spring or by division in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Cottage and informal garden
Banks and slopes
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Remove dead foliage and old flowered stems in spring

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.