Getting it to bloom

Why won't my red head fountain grass bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called red head fountain grass, red-plumed fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Red Head').

More about red head fountain grass

About red head fountain grass

Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Red Head' · also called red head fountain grass, red-plumed fountain grass · flowering

Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Red Head' is a showy fountain grass producing exceptionally large, deep burgundy-red to purple-red bottlebrush plumes from late summer into autumn. Arching, mid-green foliage turns gold in autumn. It is a robust, clump-forming cultivar valued for its dramatic flower colour and long season of interest in mixed borders and naturalistic plantings.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Failure to flower or delayed plumes: Insufficient heat or sun in cool summer climates can delay or prevent plume development in this late-blooming cultivar. Choose a warm, south-facing site; 'Red Head' needs a long, warm growing season to flower reliably.

The reasons red head fountain grass isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming red head fountain grass traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:

Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.

Feeding red head fountain grass a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.

The fix — how to get red head fountain grass to flower

Maximise sun. Give red head fountain grass the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.

Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for red head fountain grass and get the feeding right with the red head fountain grass fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.

Bloom season and what to expect

red head fountain grass flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.

Post-bloom care so it flowers again

Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.

For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full red head fountain grass care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

red head fountain grass blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my red head fountain grass flower?

red head fountain grass blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.

How do I make red head fountain grass bloom?

Give red head fountain grass the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.

When does red head fountain grass normally bloom?