Pennisetum A. ‘Praline’ 2Gal

Latin Name: Pennisetum alopecuroides (sold as Praline™)

Common Name: Praline Fountain Grass

Zones: 5–9

Height & Spread: 18–24 inches tall, spreading 30–36 inches wide

Descriptive Features: A sterile, compact fountain grass developed by Wayne Hanna at the University of Georgia — the smallest of a series of sterile Pennisetum hybrids bred specifically for smaller garden spaces. Forms a tidy, dense, arching mound of finely textured green foliage that turns warm amber and copper tones in fall. From mid to late summer into fall, an abundance of soft, taupe-pink, upright bottlebrush plumes rise well above the compact foliage, sweeping the landscape with color and texture for an unusually long bloom window, and dry beautifully for fresh or dried flower arrangements. As a sterile cultivar, it sets no viable seed and won't self-sow the way straight species Pennisetum can. Extremely low-maintenance and drought-tolerant once established, adaptable to a range of soils, though it performs best in well-drained conditions. Deer- and rabbit-resistant, needing only a late-winter cutback before new growth resumes. Its petite, well-behaved scale makes it an excellent choice for small borders, front-of-bed plantings, or containers as a thriller or filler in full sun to part shade.