Pennisetum 'Black Beauty'
Pennisetum 'Black Beauty'
Pennisetum 'Black Beauty'
Pennisetum 'Black Beauty'
Pennisetum 'Black Beauty'
Pennisetum 'Black Beauty'
Pennisetum 'Black Beauty'

Pennisetum 'Black Beauty'

"Black fountain grass"

Pennisetum 'Black Beauty'

1 bare root — £5.95

Spring planting season is currently closed 
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Delivery schedule

Orders placed until 29 February 2025
You can expect your order in February/March 2025

Orders placed 1 March - 15 April 2025
You can expect your order in March/April 2025

Orders placed 16 April - 15 May 2025
You can expect your order within 10 business days

Available for (pre)ordering again in December
Free delivery on UK orders over £50
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Shipping to the UK

UK orders over £50
Free shipping

UK orders under £50
£4.99

Northern Ireland orders under £50
£5.99

More info

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Description

Happiness is a haze of fluffy flowers and Pennisetum 'Black Beauty' brings a bounty of it, combining contemporary style with buoyant fun. With flowers like sooty-looking kitten tails, this black fountain grass will introduce a playful movement to your planting scheme as its stems swish with carefree jollity in the breeze. Frizzy, grey-black flowers are produced on multiple stems once this plant is established, in late summer forming a misty cumulous like little thunderclouds. The display of Pennisetum 'Black Beauty' is airy and soft and this translucent, dim haze provides a contrasting texture and backdrop which will illuminate neighbouring flowers.

Fountain grass likes to be grown in areas with sandy, stony or poor, free-draining soil. Find a sunny spot for Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Black Beauty', either in pots, borders or a gravel area for best results. This perennial is really well suited to coastal gardens in areas where temperatures are unlikely to fall below around -5°C in winter. It’s not entirely winter hardy but it can tolerate some frost—in areas with colder winters you can grow Pennisetum 'Black Beauty' in pots and move them under cover during cold snaps in winter. Try combining this late summer flowering ornamental grass with something bright for contrast, such as Echinacea 'Evolution Colorific' or Verbena 'Lollipop'.

Key features

  • Good for cutting

  • Comes back every year

  • Attractive to wildlife

  • In peat-free compost

  • Low maintenance

  • Drought tolerant

  • May need winter cover

  • Rodent resistant

Specs & details

  • Botanical name

    Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Black Beauty'

  • Flower colour

    Black, grey

  • Plant size

    3/5

  • Established height

    30-50cm

  • Established spread

    30-50cm

  • Plant spacing

    5 plants per m2

  • Leaf colour

    Green

  • Habit

    Upright
    Clump-forming

  • Life cycle

    Perennial

  • Hardiness

    Half hardy

  • Years to establish

    2-3 years

  • Sunlight

    Full sun

  • Position

    Sheltered
    Exposed

  • Suitable for

    Borders
    Coastal gardens
    Cottage gardens
    Gravel gardens
    Large containers
    Low maintenance gardens
    Cut flower gardens
    Wildlife gardens

  • Soil acidity

    Any

  • Soil moisture

    Free draining
    Dry

  • Soil type

    Loam
    Sandy
    Loam-based compost
    Multipurpose compost
    Stony

  • Growing skill

    Easy to grow

  • Scented

    No

  • Pollinator-friendly

    No

  • Mouse resistant

    Yes

  • Rabbit resistant

    Yes

  • Deer resistant

    Yes

  • Toxicity

    No report

Plant calendar

JanFebMarAprMayJuneJulyAugSepOctNovDec
  • Planting
  • Flowering

Useful information

    • Soak the Pennisetum 'Black Beauty' roots in water for 3-6 hours prior to planting

    • Plant your "Black fountain grass" bare roots into temporary pots with a multipurpose compost in spring and grow-on in a sheltered spot outdoors

    • Choose a pot which comfortably fits the bare roots. Some have a noticeable crown which should be just below the soil surface with any top growth exposed. Some varieties are a length of root which should be planted lengthways and shallowly (1-2cm deep).

    • Plant out into borders or permanent containers in late spring or early summer once in full growth. Choose a position in sun or shade depending on the variety.

    Read all planting & care instructions

  • Orders placed until 29 February 2025
    You can expect your order in February/March 2025

    Orders placed 1 March - 15 April 2025
    You can expect your order in March/April 2025

    Orders placed 16 April - 15 May 2025
    You can expect your order within 10 business days

Perennials in 1 minute

The beauty of perennial plants doesn’t just lie in their long-lasting flowers and sturdy, resilient nature, but it’s their sheer determination to keep on coming back stronger every year —in year one they’re good, but in future years they’re even better!

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