Burgundy Bunny Fountain Grass

Bring a blaze of long-lasting color to the sunny border, street planting, or patio container with Burgundy Bunny Fountain Grass, a magnificent variegated fountain grass. This pennisetum delights year-round with its red-tinted foliage and soft “bunny tail” blooms.

New foliage emerges light green in spring, and almost immediately red tints and streaks begin to appear. By summer, it is a thoroughly variegated, bicolor foliage delight, standing upright and cascading outward in all directions with long, slender, pointed foliage. Just 12 inches high when out of bloom, this dwarf sport of the popular Little Bunny is a compact presence for the foundation, middle of the border, driveway planting, or any sunny, carefree setting.

The real fun begins in early summer, when cream-colored blooms arise on long, thin stems above the foliage. Extending this grass’s height to about 16 inches, these “bunny tail” blooms stand out brilliantly against the bright red and green tones of the foliage. They last well into fall, and make splendid fresh or dried cut-flowers for the vase.

When the chilly fall weather arrives, the blooms burnish a darker shade of cream and the red tints in the foliage turn rich, blazing burgundy. Such a show—and it continues right into winter. After the flowers dry on the plant, birds can be seen perching atop them, picking out the seeds for a holiday treat. Burgundy Bunny Fountain Grass will look good right through the new year in warm climates.

Just 16 inches wide, Burgundy Bunny Fountain Grass, a dwarf ornamental grass, is compact enough for patio containers, with a dainty appeal from its slender foliage and airy, bobbing blooms. But don’t mistake it for a delicate plant: this is a long-lived, very adaptable perennial grass, prepared to withstand heat, humidity, drought, and poor soil. Deer find it unpalatable and generally leave it alone, but birds adore it. Give it a late-winter trim and your maintenance is done for the year. What could be easier or more delightful?

Find a special place for Burgundy Bunny Fountain Grass in your landscape, and begin enjoying the beauty of its rich variegation and long-lasting bunny tail blooms. Zones 5-9.