A Gardeners Forum
Posted By: flower frenzy Purple Fountain Grass (Rubrum) - May 28th, 2006 at 10:03 AM
Last year I purchased purple fountain grass as a perennial. I live on Long Island in New York.
I planted the grass in my garden and cut it back in the fall to about 3-4 inches from ground. The grass looks as if it's dead, there is no sign of new growth. I looked at a few web sites and some say it is not a perennial here and some say it is. Will this grass come back? We had a mild winter. If it does come back, when should I see signs of new growth? flw
Posted By: weezie13 Re: Purple Fountain Grass (Rubrum) - May 28th, 2006 at 10:31 AM
Got a picture of it??
That helps alot..

Also, can you tell us how you planted it?
ie: kind of soil, regular garden or a bagged?

Is it in the ground, a container??

Is it in full sun, shade?

Is it by a house foundation?

Did you use any fertilizers on it, if so,
what kind, and what was your schedule of using it?

And, I'm moving this to Plants and Flowers section,
I think you'll get a little more thru traffic for this question there..

P/S Welcome fellow New Yorker too, we have a few members here,
and we're glad you found us!!! wavey
Posted By: alankhart Re: Purple Fountain Grass (Rubrum) - May 29th, 2006 at 01:31 AM
Purple Fountain Grass is only perennial in zones 8 and above. I live in zone 6b/7a and we usually have mild winters and mine have never returned. Maybe you'll have better luck.
Posted By: weezie13 Re: Purple Fountain Grass (Rubrum) - May 29th, 2006 at 01:54 AM
Alan, have you ever tried putting it at
the base of your house?
I have a wonderful micro~climate at the base of mine..
I over winter common dahlia's there, and I am a zone 5....

That may very well be the cause of flower frenzy's grass not
coming back if it's not by the house and not the correct growing zone...
Posted By: kimhuff Re: Purple Fountain Grass (Rubrum) - May 29th, 2006 at 09:47 AM
i live in zone 7B and it doesnt come back here. its sold as an annual here.
Posted By: alankhart Re: Purple Fountain Grass (Rubrum) - May 29th, 2006 at 11:26 AM
I have a lot of other out of zone plants that come back, like dahlias, elephant ears, glads, but not the purple fountain grass. Apparently, it just isn't very hardy.
Posted By: jbaby7162000 Re: Purple Fountain Grass (Rubrum) - August 8th, 2006 at 02:47 PM
welliwas given one ,bye afriend that lives in louisiana she said not to cut it back during the winter,and the leaves will go baclk to the purple
color.
Posted By: digital flower Re: Purple Fountain Grass (Rubrum) - August 23rd, 2006 at 11:27 AM
This is one of my favorite annuals. I tried overwintering it in the greenhouse a couple of times and it didn't make it. I have resigned myself to buying it every year. It grows fast during the season and is a nice change from the other grasses.
Posted By: weezie13 Re: Purple Fountain Grass (Rubrum) - August 23rd, 2006 at 12:56 PM
Digital Flower,
It has seeds, have you tried saving them and replanting a couple of different ways to see
which is easier for you and the seeds???
Posted By: Anonymous Re: Purple Fountain Grass (Rubrum) - August 23rd, 2006 at 01:48 PM
Annual here too! I love mine though--I will be buying some every year from now on! thumbup
Posted By: digital flower Re: Purple Fountain Grass (Rubrum) - August 24th, 2006 at 11:25 AM
Quote
Originally posted by weezie13:
Digital Flower,
It has seeds, have you tried saving them and replanting a couple of different ways to see
which is easier for you and the seeds???
I haven't thought of that before. Thanks for the tip.
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