Red Head - Dwarf Fountain Grass

‘Red Head’ is an early-flowering fountain grass with a clump of narrow green leaves and smoky dark red bottlebrush plumes. The flowers appear in mid to late summer, then turn brown as they dry; foliage shifts to gold in autumn and buff in winter. Greenleaf Nursery reports a mature size of 3–4 feet tall by about 3 feet wide, while the [Royal Horticultural Society](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/269612/pennisetum-alopecuroides-red-head/details) describes the same dark red flowering and seasonal foliage. [Brookgreen Gardens](https://www.brookgreen.org/plant-collection/name/pennisetum-alopecuroides-red-head) records this exact cultivar and USDA Zones 5–9. ## Garden Use Use the upright, fountain-shaped clump in a sunny border or mass planting where the late-summer plumes can rise above surrounding plants. The mature spread is about 3 feet, and the dried flowers can persist into winter. ## Growing Conditions Grow in full sun in well-drained soil. The RHS lists chalk, loam, and sand as suitable soil types. Brookgreen Gardens reports the cultivar for USDA Zones 5–9. ## Seasonal Care Leave dried foliage and flower stems through winter if their texture is useful, then remove old growth in early spring. ## Maintenance Cut back dead foliage and old flower stems in early spring before new growth. Divide the clump in spring if it becomes congested.