Pennisetum alopecuroides
Chinese Fountain Grass
a perennial deciduous member of the Pennisetum genus in the family Gramineae.
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Gramineae
- Genus
- Pennisetum
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Foliage
- deciduous
- Height
- 1.5 m
- Spread
- 0.5 m
- Fertility
- Wind
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
- Pollinators
- Wind
Uses
Edible uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - cooked. It can be ground into a powder and used as a flour[1]. An emergency food, used when all else fails[3].
- Plant part
- Seed
Material uses
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Plants form impenetrably dense clumps and when planted close together in drifts make an excellent ground cover[5]. They are best spaced about 45cm apart each way[6].
Ecology and functions
- Ecosystem niche
- Soil surface
Environment
- Range
- E. Asia - Japan.
- Habitat
- Grassy places and waste ground in lowland all over Japan[8].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- no shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 7+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerances
- drought
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- tolerant
Propagation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Germination usually takes place within 3 weeks. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Division in spring. Larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.
Cultivation
This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.
Requires a light well-drained soil in a sunny position[2]. Succeeds in dry soils and, once established, tolerates drought[4]. This species is only hardy in the mild areas of Britain[2]. Plants are growing well at Cambridge botanical gardens, which is certainly not one of the milder areas of the country[K]. There are many named varieties selected for their ornamental value[5]. Plants do not flower freely in Britain except in warm sunny autumns[6]. Older clumps are more shy of flowering than young clumps[6].
References
Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00
Grounds. R. Ornamental Grasses. Christopher Helm 1989-00-00 ISBN 0-7470-1219-9
Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169
Chatto. B. The Dry Garden. Dent 1982-00-00 ISBN 0460045512
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Thomas. G. S. Plants for Ground Cover J. M. Dent & Sons 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-460-12609-1
Flora of China 1994-00-00 http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/
Ohwi. G. Flora of Japan. (English translation) Smithsonian Institution 1965-00-00