Is Oriental Fountain Grass deer resistant?
Pennisetum orientale
Plant typeOrnamental grassHardinessZones 6–9LightFull sunMature height24–36 inBloomSummer and Fall
MaintenanceLow, mostly leave it alone
About Oriental Fountain Grass
Smaller and better behaved than common fountain grass, with softer pinkish plumes. It does not seed around the way its cousin does, which makes it the safer choice.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 6 to 7.5
- Drainage
- Well drained
- Water
- Low
- Spacing
- 18 to 24 in apart
- Growth rate
- Moderate
- Maintenance
- Low
Similar to Oriental Fountain Grass
Other ornamental grasss with the same deer rating.
- Big BluestemAndropogon sp.Zones 3–9, genus rangeRarely damaged
- Blue FescueFestuca glaucaZones 4–8Rarely damaged
- Blue Oat GrassHelictotrichon sempervirensZones 4–8Rarely damaged
- Clump BambooFargesia sp.Zones 5–9, genus rangeRarely damaged
- Feather Reed GrassCalamagrostis sp.Zones 4–9, genus rangeRarely damaged
- Fountain GrassPennisetum alopecuroidesZones 6–9Rarely damaged
Where Oriental Fountain Grass grows
Hardy across most of these 46 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
- New York
- Connecticut
- Massachusetts
- Virginia
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Ohio
- Indiana
- Illinois
- Missouri
- North Carolina
- Tennessee
- Georgia
- Texas
- Colorado
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshire
- Maine
- Rhode Island
- Delaware
- West Virginia
- Kentucky
- South Carolina
- Florida
- Alabama
- Mississippi
- Louisiana
- Arkansas
- Oklahoma
- Kansas
- Nebraska
- Iowa
- Montana
- Wyoming
- Idaho
- Utah
- Nevada
- Arizona
- New Mexico
- Alaska
- District of Columbia
- Hawaii
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Every list Oriental Fountain Grass belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Oriental Fountain Grass
- Is Oriental Fountain Grass deer resistant?
- Oriental Fountain Grass (Pennisetum orientale) is rated Rarely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Deer almost always leave this alone.
- What hardiness zones does Oriental Fountain Grass grow in?
- Oriental Fountain Grass is hardy in USDA zones 6 to 9. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Oriental Fountain Grass grow in shade?
- No. Oriental Fountain Grass wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
- How big does Oriental Fountain Grass get?
- Mature height is roughly 24–36 in. Growth rate is moderate.