Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Purple Fountain Grass
Purple Fountain Grass is a clumping ornamental grass with burgundy leaves and soft, arching plumes. It grows about 2 to 4 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide in full sun. It is used as an accent, in groups, along borders and in large pots. Once rooted it needs little water.
Best for: burgundy color and movement in sunny beds, accent groups, borders and large containers.
The burgundy leaves and flower stalks stand out against green and gray plants all through the warm season.
Plant it singly or in groups of three to five as an accent, or in a row along a border or entry.
Its compact clump fits large containers along walls, steps and patios, where the burgundy leaves show up close.
A hard frost can kill it. Buy the purple Rubrum form; plain green fountain grass is invasive in Arizona.
- Mass planting3 ft apart
- Open planting3-5 ft apart
Water when the top couple of inches of soil are dry while it roots in. Once established it needs little water.
Cut it back to about 4 to 6 inches in late winter or early spring, just before new shoots appear.
Buy only the purple Rubrum form. Plain green fountain grass reseeds and is invasive in Arizona.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
Is purple fountain grass invasive?
The purple Rubrum form rarely sets seed, so it does not spread like the green species. Plain green fountain grass is invasive in Arizona, so buy only the purple form.
How is it different from green fountain grass?
Green fountain grass seeds freely and invades the desert around Valley cities. The purple Rubrum form has burgundy leaves and plumes and rarely reseeds.
Is fountain grass allowed in Arizona?
Fountain grass has been on Arizona's noxious weed list since 2020, as a Class C weed. That rule bars bringing it into the state, and ours is grown here in Arizona. Some HOAs and towns do not allow it, so check yours before you plant. It also can't be used on city, county or state landscape jobs.
How big does purple fountain grass get?
It grows about 2 to 4 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide.
When should I cut it back?
Cut it back to about 4 to 6 inches in late winter or early spring, just before new shoots appear.
How much water does it need?
It needs little water once rooted. Water it when the top couple of inches of soil are dry while it roots in, then water less.
Does it survive frost?
A killing frost can take it out. Plants that make it through regrow after you cut them back in spring.
Does it need full sun?
Yes. Plant it in full sun for the best color and shape.
Can I grow it in a pot?
Yes. It works well in large containers on patios and along steps.
Purple Fountain Grass for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Purple Fountain Grass is a burgundy-leaved clumping grass with arching plumes. It is not the same as the invasive green fountain grass. Below: size, water, cutting back, and how the two differ.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
Purple fountain grass vs green fountain grass
Green fountain grass is invasive in Arizona and seeds into the desert. The purple Rubrum form rarely sets seed and does not spread that way.
How to cut back purple fountain grass
Cut it to about 4 to 6 inches in late winter or early spring, before new shoots appear.
Purple fountain grass size
It grows about 2 to 4 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide.
Watering purple fountain grass
Water regularly while it roots in, then little. It is drought tolerant once established.
Purple fountain grass in containers
It is a good fit for large pots on patios, steps and entries.
Purple fountain grass and frost
A killing frost can take it out in a cold winter.
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