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Botanical name: Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’
A fine textured dwarf fountain grass suitable for smaller areas; bright green foliage changes to a golden tan in fall; blooms are large bottle brush like plumes of white that persist until winter; beautiful as an accent or massed in borders or rock garden.
| Hardiness zone | 4b |
|---|---|
| Flower color | white |
| Foliage type | deciduous * |
| Plant form | arching |
| Mature height | 28 inches |
| Spread | 24 inches |
| Light requirements | full sun |
| Moisture requirements | dry to moist |
| Plant origin | import |
* deciduous = loses leaves in winter
Hameln Dwarf Fountain Grass has masses of beautiful plumes of white flowers rising above the foliage in mid summer, which are most effective when planted in groupings. Its grassy leaves are green in color. As an added bonus, the foliage turns a gorgeous coppery-bronze in the fall. The fruit is not ornamentally significant.
Hameln Dwarf Fountain Grass is an herbaceous perennial grass with a shapely form and gracefully arching stems. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.
This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Hameln Dwarf Fountain Grass is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Accent, Mass Planting, Rock/Alpine Gardens, General Garden Use, Container Planting
Hameln Dwarf Fountain Grass will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years.
This plant should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.
Hameln Dwarf Fountain Grass is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It can be used either as 'filler' or as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, depending on the height and form of the other plants used in the container planting. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
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