My Deer Garden

Plant record · Ornamental grass

Is Oriental Fountain Grass deer resistant?

Pennisetum orientale

Soft pink plumes of oriental fountain grass
Photo by Erhan Yelekci, CC BY-SA 4.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Damage step 1 of 4 · Rarely Damaged

Yes. Deer almost always leave this alone.

Type
Ornamental grass
Hardiness
Zones 6–9
Light
Full sun
Height
24–36 in
Bloom
Summer and Fall
Maintenance
Low

Damage steps follow a published university field scale. How plants are rated.

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.

Where Oriental Fountain Grass grows

Hardy across 46 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering. Select any state, including one it will not grow in, for what is resistant there.

Alabama — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Alaska — hardy here. Zones 1 to 8.Arizona — hardy here. Zones 5 to 10.Arkansas — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.California — hardy here. Zones 7 to 10.Colorado — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Connecticut — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Delaware — hardy here. Zones 7 to 7.District of Columbia — hardy here. Zones 7 to 8.Florida — hardy here. Zones 8 to 11.Georgia — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Hawaii — hardy here. Zones 9 to 12.Idaho — hardy here. Zones 3 to 7.Illinois — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Indiana — hardy here. Zones 5 to 6.Iowa — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Kansas — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Kentucky — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.Louisiana — hardy here. Zones 8 to 10.Maine — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Maryland — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Massachusetts — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Michigan — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Minnesota — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Mississippi — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Missouri — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Montana — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Nebraska — hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Nevada — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.New Hampshire — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.New Jersey — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.New Mexico — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.New York — hardy here. Zones 4 to 7.North Carolina — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.North Dakota — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 4.Ohio — hardy here. Zones 5 to 6.Oklahoma — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Oregon — hardy here. Zones 6 to 9.Pennsylvania — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Rhode Island — hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.South Carolina — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.South Dakota — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Tennessee — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Texas — hardy here. Zones 6 to 9.Utah — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.Vermont — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Virginia — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Washington — hardy here. Zones 5 to 8.West Virginia — hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Wisconsin — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Wyoming — hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.
Hardy on zone rangeNot hardy — still linked
Choose a state from the listeasier on a phone

Common questions about Oriental Fountain Grass

Is Oriental Fountain Grass deer resistant?
Oriental Fountain Grass (Pennisetum orientale) is rated Rarely Damaged, step 1 of 4 on the damage scale this site uses. 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.

Browse from here

Every list Oriental Fountain Grass belongs to.

All ornamental grasss·Rarely damaged·Full sun plants

Hardy in these zones

Zone 6·Zone 7·Zone 8·Zone 9

Damage ratings follow the four-step field scale published by Rutgers University. Growing data is compiled from state extension sources and still being verified record by record. Last reviewed .