Description of the foxtail foxtail plant pennisetum, its planting and care

Gardeners have long begun to plant not only flowers and ornamental shrubs, but also cereal plants on their plots. One such grass is foxtail pennisetum, a spectacular plant with fluffy spikelets of various colors. The plants are highly decorative, especially during the flowering period, for which they are loved not only by amateur flower growers, but also by landscape designers.

Description and features

Pennisetum foxtail is a cereal plant. It is a planting with an erect stem up to 1 meter high and narrow long leaves. The apex is crowned with a spike-shaped inflorescence of beige, lilac, violet or red-brown color. During the period of dissolution it is highly decorative.

The inflorescence opens at the end of August or beginning of September. But even with the onset of frost, the plant retains its spectacular appearance. The color of the vegetative parts changes to yellow, but the integrity of the planting is maintained.

Additional Information. The literal translation of pennisetum from Latin is feather and bristle.

Growing seedlings

When planting hardened young bushes in a flowerbed, the development of pennisetum will begin earlier than when seeds were sown in open ground.

Deadlines

To plant pennisetum bushes in open ground, the seeds are sown in early April. Then the seedlings will have time to grow and become stronger before being planted in the ground. Young bushes are planted on the site in May.

Soil preparation

To grow pennisetum foxtail with seeds, loose soil is used to make it easier for the seedlings to develop. You can prepare the substrate yourself from a mixture of garden soil, peat and sand, or purchase soil for seedlings at a flower shop.

How to plant

Seeds need to be planted in separate small containers, since the bushes take a long time to take root after transplantation. To do this, you can take 200-gram plastic cups or peat pots.When using peat pots, planting on the site is done without removing the earthen clod. Seeds spilled on the surface are buried 2-3 millimeters.

Watering

Seeds are planted in moist soil. When the top layer dries out a little, it needs to be moistened with a spray bottle. Before watering, the water settles for at least a day.

Temperature and light conditions

Pots with seedlings are placed in a warm room that is well lit by the sun. If the growing region is northern, then the containers are covered with film or glass and illuminated with phytolamps.

Ventilation

The mini-greenhouse needs to be ventilated every day, while removing condensation from the glass. If this is not done, pathogenic microorganisms that harm the crops may appear inside the containers. When sprouts appear, the cover is removed.

Planting in open ground

Bushes grown in a warm room are planted in the ground after the onset of heat. To make them adapt faster, they are hardened 2 weeks before planting by exposing them to the air for half an hour.

When to plant

Pennisetum foxtail is planted in open ground after the threat of frost has passed. In the southern regions this may be the end of April, in the northern regions - mid-May. By this time, the seedlings usually reach a height of 10-15 centimeters.

Selecting a location

In nature, pennisetum grows in hot climates, so choose a planting site that is well lit by the sun. The plant does not make great demands on the composition of the soil, the main thing is that it is not too moist.

Constant exposure of roots to moisture contributes to their infection by fungus.

Planting scheme

Since pennisetum is capable of growing strongly, the distance between bushes is maintained in the range of 50-90 centimeters.Dense planting is needed if the plant needs to be used as a hedge. The depth of the planting hole is determined so that the seedlings have enough space to develop roots.

Advice! If the plant is not planned to spread throughout the area, the planting area is fenced with slate, digging it to a depth of 50 centimeters.

Care

Caring for Pennisetum foxtail does not take much time and effort from the gardener during the season.

Watering

It is necessary to moisten the soil only if there is insufficient natural precipitation. In hot, dry summers, Pennisetum foxtail is watered once a week.

Loosening and weeding

While the bushes are small, the soil around them needs to be constantly loosened. During this procedure, air is supplied to the roots and they develop better. During this same period, weeding is necessary, otherwise the weeds will take away sunlight and moisture from the young bushes.

Top dressing

Pennisetum foxtail, planted in fertile soil, does not need to be fed for the first years. Adult bushes are fertilized in the spring with organic matter, for example, humus or manure. In summer, they are watered once a month with complex mineral fertilizer.

Diseases and pests

Pennisetum is rarely subject to pest invasion and disease formation. In too dry summers, spider mites may appear, which are easily washed off with a stream of water. Young plants can be favored by aphids, which are removed with a soap solution.

Trimming

There is no need to trim the stems of Pennisetum foxtail for the winter for several reasons:

1. Dead wood prevents excessive moisture from the roots.
2. Keeps kidneys from freezing.
3. The site looks decorative not only in summer, but also in winter.

Only damaged leaves need to be cut off for the winter. In spring, the entire above-ground part is completely cut off so that young stems can develop.

Mulching

In order to retain moisture in the area where roots grow during hot summers, the bushes are mulched with peat, tree bark, and sawdust. In addition, mulch will protect the soil layer from forming a crust after rain or watering.

Preparing for winter

Before the onset of frost, the tree trunk circle is additionally sprinkled with dry leaves and covered with a special flooring. Another necessary procedure is to water the roots abundantly, since if the ground around them is moist, they are less damaged by frost. To prevent tall stems from bending under the pressure of snow in winter, they are tied with rope.

Reproduction

Pennisetum foxtail can be grown in the garden in 2 ways: by seeds and by dividing the bush.

Seeds

Pennisetum can be propagated by seeds by first planting them as seedlings in April, or by sowing them directly into the ground in May. When using the seedling method, peat pots are used, which then rot in the ground, providing additional nutrition for the bushes.

Pennisetum can reproduce by self-sowing, scattering its seeds far.

Dividing the bush

Reproduction by dividing the bush is done when the plant has grown too much and the stems have begun to become smaller because of this. To do this, the plant is dug up, divided, and each section is transplanted into a separate hole. Care is carried out in the same way as for adult plantings.

Note! You need to divide the bushes with a sharp, disinfected tool.

Kinds

Of the many species, only a few are cultivated in gardens.

Foxtail

The height of the bushes varies between 40-100 centimeters. The color of the fluffy panicles is red-brown or purple. In autumn, foxtail pennisetum changes the color of the plates from green to yellow.

Oriental

The height range of the bushes is from 15 to 80 centimeters. Blooms in August with a pink-violet palette. As it grows, it forms extensive sods.

Shaggy

Plantings grow up to half a meter. The paniculate inflorescences are white-golden in color. Often grown as a container plant.

Simple

The tall plant produces erect stems. The spikelets are thin, elongated, and appear in June. In autumn they turn yellow-brown in color.

Gray

A powerful shrub grows up to 2 meters. It got its name for its wide bluish leaves. Spike-shaped large inflorescences are painted in burgundy-bronze shades.

Bristly

A very decorative type of tall pennisetum. Its entire ground part is colored pink-purple. Beautiful inflorescences are used in winter bouquets.

Popular varieties

Below are the most famous varieties that are in demand among gardeners.

Hamelin

This variety belongs to Pennisetum foliaceus. It has elongated spikelets that are light in color. The leaves are narrow and rough to the touch.

Red Head

The bush is spherical, a large number of trunks with smoky purple spikelets grow from its base. The leaves are narrow, long, and their color is gray-green.

Purple Baron

This is one of the varieties of pennisetum glaucous. The trunks and leaves are green with a purple tinge. The color of the long spikelets is ruby-purple, their ends are whitish.

Mowdry

Pennisetum foxtail cultivar Maudry is decorated with pink-purple spikelets. The leaves are light green, with purple splashes. The bush grows up to 90 centimeters.

Rubrum

All parts of the pennisetum of the bristly variety Rubrum are colored red-violet. As they develop, paniculate inflorescences create something like a fountain.

Viridescence

The dense leaves of this variety are green at the beginning of the growing season, then acquire a purple color. The panicles of the inflorescences of Pennisetum foxtail viridescens are black-purple, slightly arched. The height of the bush is 70 centimeters.

Ornamental

Pennisetum gray variety Ornamental grows to a height of 1 meter in height and 40 centimeters in width. It has wide, bluish-green leaves. Dense spikelets are purple.

Moudry

The basal rosette of pennisetum foxtail variety Mowdri consists of green leaves and pink-smoky spikelets. The inflorescences are large, fluffy, and densely cover the bush.

Hamelin

Pennisetum foxtail Hamelin consists of narrow green leaves that change color to yellow in the fall. The color of the spikelets is light cream or beige. Tolerates winter well.

Use in landscape design

Pennisetum foxtail is used on the site as follows:

1. As a material that strengthens the soil on slopes.
2. It is planted on the banks of reservoirs, forming a natural landscape.
3. Serves as a background for low-growing flowering plants.
4. Planted as a foreground for taller flowering shrubs.
5. Used to create smooth transitions in flower beds.
6. Planted singly against the background of a lawn.
7. Grown in large flowerpots. For the winter, plants can be brought into a cool room.

Pennisetum foxtail goes well with the surrounding plantings; it looks impressive and is easy to care for. Gardeners fell in love with it for these qualities, using it in various compositions on their plots.