• Photo of Cenchrus setaceus (Cenchrus setaceuss)

Plant Profile: Cenchrus setaceus

Taxonomy: Cenchrus setaceus

Names

African Fountain Grass, Annual Fountain Grass, Crimson Fountaingrass, Crimson Fountain Grass, Dwarf Red Fountain Grass, Fountaingrass, Fountain Grass, Green Fountain Grass, Plume Grass, Purple Fountain Grass, Tender Fountain Grass

  • Photo of Cenchrus setaceus (Cenchrus setaceuss)

Phonetic Spelling:pen-nih-SEE-tum seh-TAY-see-um

Genus:Cenchrus

Species:setaceus

Family:Poaceae

Annual Fountain Grass is a clumping, herbaceous grass that typically reaches heights of 2 to 4 feet and is usually cultivated as an annual. It produces blooms throughout the summer, continuing until the first frost. The reddish-purple varieties are particularly favored for their vibrant color. This grass is commonly used in bedding displays, as a backdrop in garden beds, along borders, and in fresh floral arrangements. However, it can spread invasively through seed dispersal. Preferring full sun to partial shade, it thrives in moist, well-drained soils and is generally free from significant pest or disease issues.

**Soil:** Adaptable to a variety of soil types.

**Quick Identification Tips:**

Cenchrus setaceus Feature Summary

Cenchrus setaceus Image Gallery

Tags

#deciduous
#invasive
#resistant
#playground
#deer resistant
#children's garden
#pollinator plant
#fantz
#bird friendly
#stormwater demo garden orange co
#buncombe sun and shade

Similar Plants

Cenchrus setaceus is often confused with:

Cenchrus setaceus Feature Summary

Attributes
Norther & Eastern Africa
Attracts birds
Attracts Pollinators
Wind Shimmer
Textural
Attractive Flowers
Flowers
Inflorescence if a terminal, elongated raceme of spiklets resembling a bottlebrush that is reddish-purple in color. Spiklets are 1-3 flowered, awned, and awns are plumose basally.
Pink
Purple/Lavender
Red/Burgundy
> 6 inches
Leaves
Leaves are rigid, linear, sheathing, scabrous, often burgundy to reddish-purple in color, and up to 1' long.
Red/Burgundy
Purple/Lavender
> 6 inches
Whole Plant Traits
Annual
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Erect
Mounding
Clumping
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Good Drainage
Moist
Fruit
Landscape
Pollinator Garden
Children's Garden
Recreational Play Area
Pollinators
Songbirds
Invasive Species

Cenchrus setaceus Attributes

Cenchrus setaceus: Country Or Region Of Origin

Norther & Eastern Africa

Cenchrus setaceus: Wildlife Value

Attracts birds

Cenchrus setaceus: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Cenchrus setaceus: Play Value

Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer

Cenchrus setaceus Flowers

Cenchrus setaceus: Flower Description

Inflorescence if a terminal, elongated raceme of spiklets resembling a bottlebrush that is reddish-purple in color. Spiklets are 1-3 flowered, awned, and awns are plumose basally.

Cenchrus setaceus: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Pink
filter_vintage
Purple/Lavender
filter_vintage
Red/Burgundy

Cenchrus setaceus: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Cenchrus setaceus: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Cenchrus setaceus: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Cenchrus setaceus: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Cenchrus setaceus Leaves

Cenchrus setaceus: Leaf Description

Leaves are rigid, linear, sheathing, scabrous, often burgundy to reddish-purple in color, and up to 1' long.

Cenchrus setaceus: Leaf Color

spa
Purple/Lavender
spa
Red/Burgundy

Cenchrus setaceus: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color

spa
Gold/Yellow

Cenchrus setaceus: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Cenchrus setaceus: Leaf Shape

Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate

Cenchrus setaceus: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Cenchrus setaceus: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Cenchrus setaceus: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Cenchrus setaceus: Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Cenchrus setaceus Whole Plant Traits

Cenchrus setaceus: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Cenchrus setaceus: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Cenchrus setaceus: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Cenchrus setaceus: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Cenchrus setaceus Cultural Conditions

Cenchrus setaceus: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Cenchrus setaceus: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Cenchrus setaceus: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Cenchrus setaceus: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
10a
thermostat
10b
thermostat
11a
thermostat
11b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Cenchrus setaceus Fruit

Cenchrus setaceus: Fruit Color

grass
Purple/Lavender

Cenchrus setaceus: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Cenchrus setaceus Stem

Cenchrus setaceus: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Cenchrus setaceus Landscape

Cenchrus setaceus: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Cenchrus setaceus: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Cenchrus setaceus: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Cenchrus setaceus: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland

Cenchrus setaceus: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees

Cenchrus setaceus: Problems

Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy