Feather bristle grass ∗ The 10 best care tips (lamp cleaner grass)

Origin and Distribution

The large family of sweet grasses (bot. Poaceae) counting Feather bristle grass respectively. Pennisetum, as it is also known, is native to the sunny plains of Australia. But the vigorous plant can also be found growing in the wild in East Asian countries such as China, Japan and Korea. The popular ornamental plant came to Europe very late, but after its introduction it quickly established itself due to its high ornamental value and good frost tolerance.

The feather bristle grass (bot. Pennisetum alopecuroides) is one of around 80 other pennon cleaner grass species, but of all these it is the most widespread.

use

Pennisetum alopecuroides is suitable because of its vigorous growth and the pretty flowers for a single position as well as for a group planting in beds and borders. Numerous types of perennials are ideal as plant partners. Feather bristle grass is very suitable as a companion to roses, but can also be combined perfectly with wild perennials or autumn flowers. Attractive garden images are created, for example, through socialization Autumn asters, phlox, Girl's eye, high stonecrop, Sun hat, Catnips or delphinium. Furthermore, the feather bristle grass is also suitable for low ground cover. Varieties that stay small, such as 'Hameln', 'Cassian' or 'Little Bunny' are also suitable for a bucket culture and adorn sunny terraces and balconies.

Appearance and stature

The perennial feather bristle grass develops a lush eyrie with arched overhanging leaves, above which the delicate flower spikes appear from the late summer months. The leaf corrugation forms an almost perfect hemisphere and looks more like a bush than a clumpy growing grass. The species is roughly as tall as it is wide, with individual varieties such as 'Paul's Giant' reaching heights of up to 150 centimeters. Others, such as 'Little Bunny' or 'Little Honey', on the other hand, remain significantly smaller with an average height of around 30 centimeters. The species itself reaches heights of between 60 and 90 centimeters. The flower spikes are about 20 centimeters higher than the leaves.

leaves

The very narrow leaves of the feather bristle grass are a maximum of 12 millimeters wide. During the summer months they are gray-green in color, but usually turn golden yellow in autumn. Some varieties, for example 'Hameln' and 'Cassian', develop a particularly attractive autumn color, which can be reddish to amber. The leaves of the lamp-cleaning grass still look very attractive in winter, but the new stalks do not sprout again until late in spring.

Flowering and flowering period

The attractive flower spikes of feather bristle grass are externally reminiscent of foxtails or small bottle brushes. Most varieties develop brownish to pinkish-red flowers that do not appear until late summer and are a real feast for the eyes in beds or tubs between August and October. Even in winter, the withered ears still serve as decoration, as the flowers do not immediately disintegrate. However, this splendor only occurs after warm and sunny summers. If, on the other hand, the warm season is short, cold and / or rainy, the flowering period can be completely or partially canceled.

Toxicity

The feather bristle grass is neither poisonous for humans nor for animals. Nevertheless, caution is advised because children playing can easily cut themselves on the hard stalks. Pets also run the risk of the grasses getting stuck in the windpipe or damaging the inner mucous membranes. For this reason, the ornamental grasses should only be planted or planted there. Be placed where curious children and hungry pets cannot get to them.

Which location is suitable?

Feather bristle grass needs a lot of sun and warmth, with daily exposure to sunlight of at least four hours. The plant feels most comfortable in the southern areas of the garden, for example in open flower beds and borders without shadows being cast by trees or walls. On the other hand, in places that are too dark, the plant withers and usually dies very quickly.

floor

Feather bristle grass feels most comfortable in normal, loose Garden soilwhich may contain fine gravel or clay. It is only important that the subsoil is not compacted, but rather permeable. If necessary, loosen the soil well and mix in this gravel or sand. If, on the other hand, the lamp cleaner grass is cultivated in pots, it is best to plant it in normal flower or standard soil, which can be mixed with sand or gravel. Appropriate drainage is also important so that excess water can drain off and waterlogging does not arise in the first place.

Plant bristle grass properly

When planting the feather bristle grass, make sure that it can be quite large and extensive and therefore needs a lot of space. Maintain a planting distance of at least 60 to 80 centimeters to other garden plants and avoid a location with high root pressure, for example of larger trees such as trees or Hedges. This is not tolerated by the sensitive ornamental grass. The plant feels most comfortable in larger open spaces and in spacious rock gardens. The best season for planting feather bristle grass in the garden is spring.

Water bristle grass

Potted plants should be watered regularly, whereas planted specimens should only be watered when necessary. This is given, for example, in extreme drought and / or summer heat. Make sure that the feather bristle grass does not tolerate waterlogging or permanently dry root balls. An indication of excessive dryness is often brownish discoloration on the leaf tips and stalks. In this case, you should water the plant in question vigorously. If you adhere to the following guidelines, nothing can go wrong:

• Water potted plants before the upper substrate layer dries out.
• Use soft, lime-free water.
• Rainwater as well as filtered resp. stale tap water.
• Adjust the temperature of the water, because watering it with cold water damages the feather bristle grass.

In the first few weeks after planting in particular, you should water the plants vigorously to make it easier for them to take root. During this time, the soil must not dry out.

Fertilize feather bristle grass properly

Regular fertilization only makes sense for tub specimens and for plants that have been established on the site for a number of years. It should be fertilized especially during the exhausting flowering period, as the development of the pretty flower spikes of the plant demands a lot. The following are particularly suitable as fertilizers:

• Liquid green plant or perennial fertilizer for grasses kept in pots
• Compost soil or ripe compost
• anyone who has a garden pond simply takes nutrient-rich pond water
• Blue grain

Never apply the fertilizer on dry soil, only on moist soil. It is best to provide the plants with fertilizers dissolved in the irrigation water. Then the nutrients go straight to where they are needed.

Cut feather bristle grass correctly

In spring, cut the feather bristle grass about a hand's breadth above the ground; this will encourage fresh leaves to sprout. Under no circumstances should you reach for scissors in autumn, because the long stalks serve as winter protection. If they are too short, however, there is a risk of frost and rot damage.
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Propagate feather bristle grass

The feather bristle grass tends to get old after a few years, then only develops a few flowers and does not look so lush overall in its growth. You can stimulate it to sprout again very easily by digging it out together with the rootstock, dividing it into several pieces and then replanting it separately.

Overwinter

Most types of feather bristle grass are sufficiently hardy and can easily overwinter in the garden in protected locations. However, this does not apply to all varieties: Many a lamp cleaner grass should be due to lack of Winter hardiness, if possible, only cultivated in pots and brought frost-free over the cold season will. Other varieties, on the other hand, can remain outside, but need protective insulation, for example in the form of sticks, straw or Mulch.(€ 239.00 at Amazon *) Do not bend any stalks when attaching the protection, as this will weaken the plant and make it more susceptible to diseases or pests. For this purpose, tie the stalks together.

Diseases and pests

With a suitable location and careful care, the feather bristle grass is quite insensitive to diseases and pests. It usually only becomes problematic if the location is permanently too wet or too dry, in both cases fungal diseases can occur. In addition, there are dry and warm locations Spider mites No rarity.

Species and varieties

Feather bristle grass is found in various wild species, which are usually larger than the cultivated varieties. In addition to the species Pennisetum alopecuroides, the higher-growing and pink-blooming Pennisetum orientale (also known as "fine feather bristle grass") is often planted in gardens. The selection of the variety should be made according to the desired purpose and the available space. Small and not hardy ornamental grasses can also be cultivated in pots, while the larger variants are better off in the garden bed.

The most beautiful varieties of feather bristle grass:

• 'Cassian': Growth height up to 100 centimeters, light brown flower panicles
• 'Compressum': Growth height up to 100 centimeters, yellow-brownish panicles of flowers
• 'Hameln': stature height up to approx. 50 centimeters, brown-red flower spikes, early flowering time from the beginning of summer
• 'Herbstzauber': up to 80 centimeters in height, yellow-brownish panicles of flowers
• 'Little Bunny': also dwarf lamp cleaner grass, height between ten and 30 centimeters
• 'Moudry': up to 50 centimeters in height, purple to almost black pseudo-flowers
• 'Red Hed': Growth height up to 90 centimeters, pink-red to brown flower spikes between July and October