Prairie Winds® 'Lemon Squeeze' Fountain Grass (Pennisetum)
Perennial
- Golden foliage shines in the garden!
- Fluffy copper flower spikes add interest summer through winter.
- Sun-loving, deer resistant, & durable ornamental grass.
- Zones 5-9, sun, 3-3.5' tall x 4-4.5' wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
In late summer, copper flower spikes appear above the foliage. Leave the foliage and flowers standing for winter interest and coverage for wildlife, or cut some to use in dried flower arrangements. It's easy to grow, deer resistant, and durable, making it a great option for every gardener.
Details
Common name: Fountain grass
Patent #: PP34634
Zone: 5,6,7,8,9
Sun exposure: Sun (6+ hrs/day)
Height x width: 3-3.5′ tall X 4-4.5′ wide
Flower color: purple, turning tan in fall and winter
Foliage color: Green and gold
Season of interest: Year-round
Bloom time: Midsummer, late summer, early fall
Features: Winter interest, Proven Winners, privacy & screening, drought tolerant, deer resistant, container plants, best for beginners
Uses: Background, border, cottage gardening, foundation planting, massing, specimen, cut flower garden
How to Grow
Light: Performs best in full sun. Can tolerate part sun, but may not produce as many flowers.
Water: Average. Once established, it will tolerate a bit of drought, but flowers better, and develops better color, if provided with a deep watering during periods of extended drought.
Spacing: 3 - 3.5′
Fertilizing: Does not require fertilizer, but if desired you can apply a small amount of all purpose garden fertilizer in spring. Be sure to water it in thoroughly.
Winterizing: We recommend leaving foliage in place over winter, as ornamental grasses contribute substantial interest in otherwise dormant landscapes. This practice also helps minimize the potential for rot in cold, wet soils – particularly in areas with clay soil.
Maintenance & pruning: Prune down to 3-4″ above soil level in late winter or early spring, before new growth emerges.
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.
I have several of these grasses. They are planted in both full sun and partial sun and both are thriving. The chartreuse-gold foliage and copper-tan seed heads add texture and visual interest throughout my garden. As usual, my plants arrived nicely packaged and on time.
Fingers crossed these will grow because they arrived dried out and looking crumpled and small.
Hello! It is common for plants to experience slight stress from shipping, as they have not experienced their ideal growing conditions at this time. We recommend placing plants in a cool, shaded spot out of direct sunlight for 24-48 hours after unpacking them. This allows them a recovery and acclimation period before planting. If you must hold them longer, place them out of direct sunlight, wind, heat, and cold, and plant as soon as possible. Please email your order number and pictures of your plants to [email protected] to start the claims process, and we can make sure your plants are on the right track! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee
Has doubled in size and looks great. I may order more in the future. It's a great grass. Handling our zone 8b heat well.
Came in in great condition
This is a lovely plant. It has started to put out its plumes so i am hopeful it will fill out well next year.
It was very small but it is hanging in there and will probably take off before long . Packing and everything was perfect . It’s just 4 inches tall with good roots.
We’re sorry you’re not satisfied with your plants! On each product page and our plant sizes page, we note that all of our plants are young. The size of our plants varies depending on the time of year and whether they were recently trimmed. The most important thing when purchasing plants, online or in garden centers, is a full and robust root system, which we prioritize. Trimming only encourages stronger root development! All orders are covered by our 60-day guarantee, so please reach out to us to start the claims process if necessary.
Plants came in great shape, well rooted.
The grass arrived in very poor shape with most of the dirt spilled out of one of the 3 pots. Pots were very small certainly not quart sized. I followed the included instructions for acclimating the grass before placing them in the ground, They have not rebounded and I will be surprised if they live. They certainly will not be pretty for this season if ever. Very disappointed overall.
Hello! We’re sorry that you received plants that are not up to our standards. We try our best to provide excellent plants, but some factors, like shipping and handling, are outside our control. That’s why we have a 60-day guarantee on all of our orders. Please email your order number and pictures of your plants to [email protected] to start the claims process. We look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee
I purchased 6 of these grasses with great expectations. Ordered 6 in total.Overwintered 4 in the ground and 2 in containers.
As of yet there are no signs of life on any of them. I am in zone 6-7and should have seen something by now.
We're sorry you're having trouble with your plants. Our team of horticulture experts would love to take a closer look! Please contact us at [email protected] with your order number and photos of the plants so we can better assist you. All orders are covered by our 60-day guarantee. We look forward to helping! https://bit.ly/ggp-guarantee
Love it ! Tough little grass. I let it dry a little but it’s getting bigger and better everyday. I bought the quart size. Excited to watch it grow. Thanks so much! Shipping and packing is always top notch.
Delivered in great shape!
Real nice plants, shipped on time. We had them planted about 3 weeks and they were all doing fantastic. Just got through the remnants of hurricane Debby and received 4 inches of rain. Keeping our fingers crossed. Great place for plants. Thanks
Proven Winners plant. Packed well and great condition.
I was inspired by Prairie Winds Lemon Squeeze to plant a new grass boarder in July 2023! I purchased Lemon Squeeze along with 3 other varieties! They are all growing extremely well and looking great together!
But Lemon Squeeze is stealing the show! I will be adding more Lemon Squeeze to my other grass boarders next Spring!
This ornamental grass exceeded my expectations in terms of appearance and performance. Thriving in a full-sun location with regular watering for a little over 2 months, this grass already has full size blooms that are substantial in size and a really unique color. I'm looking forward to seeing how the plant winters-over. If you want the texture of a grass but want something other than green, give this one a try.
I love the yellow color. The plants arrived in excellent condition, and they look wonderful in the garden. Very pleased.
The plant arrived healthy & happy!
Do you ship an established plant or seed?
Hi there! We ship young plants grown in one quart containers. We do not sell seeds.
Would this work with morning sun and partial in the afternoon?
Hi there! Prairie Winds® 'Lemon Squeeze' Fountain Grass performs best in full sun. They can tolerate part sun, but may not produce as many flowers.
Can this be planted successfully in early fall?
Yes! Fall is a fantastic time for planting shrubs, trees, and perennials because the cooler temperatures and shorter days mean less water stress for the plant, and that means less work for you in terms of watering and monitoring your new plants.
Is Prairie Winds Lemon Squeeze a perennial in Zone 8? Is it considered an evergreen grass?
Prairie Winds Fountain Grass is a perennial in zones 5-9 and will turn a pretty gold hue in winter to create visual interest. For more information on grasses that embellish the winter landscape, check out our blog: https://blog.greatgardenplants.com/grasses-for-winter-interest/
Is this a perennial?
Provided you live in USDA zones 5-9, this will be a perennial that will come back year after year. If you don't know your hardiness zone, you can find it on our homepage by entering your zip code.