Foxtail (Pennisetum alopecuroides)

Pennisetum alopecuroides

The plant whose scientific name is Pennisetum alopecuroides It is a precious grass, ideal to have in all types of gardens, large or small, low or high maintenance. It grows fast, and when it is in flower it is a joy to see it.

In addition, it reaches a very interesting height to be able to use it as a delimiter plant for paths or paths. Do you want to know her better?

Origin and characteristics

Pennisetum alopecuroides characteristics

It is a herbaceous perennial native to Asia and Africa, where it lives in tropical regions. Its scientific name is Pennisetum alopecuroides, and is known as fox tail or feather tail. Its leaves are ribbon-like, green in color, reaching a length of 60 to 150 centimeters. The flowers are grouped in white or pink spikes that appear in spring and summer.

Maintenance is very simple; so much so that it is a species very suitable for those who do not have much experience caring for plants and/or for those who simply cannot and/or do not want to dedicate much time to them.

What are their cares?

pennisetum alopecuroides care

Would you like to have a copy? If so, we recommend that you follow our advice:

Location

Must be outside, in full sun. It can give you 2 or 3 hours of shade, but not more. And we are talking about a plant that really likes the sun, and when it does not receive enough, it suffers. In addition, it is easy to guess because its "tail" begins to deteriorate and lose its leaves.

Temperature

As we have told you, it is an easy-care plant, and if you provide it with all its needs, it will be very grateful. Now, in terms of temperature, you should know that, being native to Australia and Asia, tolerates heat quite well (it is also a plant that likes full sun). Of course, comparing the heat of those two continents with ours, it may be that if you want to have it in the south of Spain, semi-shade is more recommended.

As for the cold, you should not worry because it is resistant to frost. Only when the temperature passes -15 degrees will it begin to suffer.

Earth

the fox tail It is not a plant that requires a type of soil, with certain characteristics. It actually adapts to everything or what you give it. It is true that it has a predilection for drained and moist soils, but as we told you, you should not worry about it.

Of course, it will depend on whether you have the plant in the garden or in a pot. And it is that if it is in the garden it competes for nutrients with other plants, while if it is in the pot it will have nutrients, but if these run out it will not be able to look for more.

To give you an idea, our substrate recommendation is as follows:

  • Flowerpot: universal growing medium. You can mix it if you want with a little bit of perlite, clay or similar, but it is not necessary.
  • Yard: It grows in all types of soils, although it prefers those that are rich in organic matter and have good drainage.

Irrigation

2-3 times a week in summer, and once a week the rest of the year.

Really it is not a very demanding plant with irrigation, but it will depend on the climate you have. For example, if you live in an area where it is usually very hot, it is best to water more often, always checking before doing so if the plant needs it.

Being in full sun, that causes it to dry out sooner and, although it tolerates droughts, it is not the most recommended.

For its part, in winter it will depend on another factor: the humidity in the environment. It might be enough to keep the plant hydrated. In addition, since the cold makes the soil stay moist longer, it may require even less watering.

Pennisetum alopecuroides species

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From the beginning of spring to the end of summer it is recommended pay it once a month with organic fertilizers, like guano for example.

Others recommend the fertilized only once a year, with manuresince you don't need more. In our case we recommend doing it this way for potted plants. In the garden, depending on the type of land you have, you can opt for this annual fertilizer solution.

Pruning

At the end of winter you have to cut off the dry leaves. It is also important to remove the withered flowers.

Some also recommend cutting a few centimeters from the ground, so that the plant itself renews itself and grows with new and more homogeneous foliage than when it had it before.

This can be ideal in older plants, since in this way you will be renewing its cycle so that, in spring, it begins to grow more strongly. Of course, it should be well protected from the cold to prevent it from being damaged (being a more drastic pruning, it should only be done with specimens already settled in place).

Plagues and diseases

As a general rule, the fox tail or Pennisetum alopecuroides It is not a plant that suffers many problems from these. But that does not mean that it is resistant to pests and diseases. Some of the ones you can find are:

  • Mites and aphids. These two pests are responsible for feeding on the sage of the plant, causing it to lose strength and life. If you suffer from it, it is better that you try to control irrigation and fertilization, since pests often come from there, just as if you have dry soil.
  • Powdery mildew. It is one of the diseases that can happen to your plant. To do this, you will notice that it has some dust spots on the leaves, gradually covering all of it (and eventually dying). It is best to place the plant in a very sunny place as it will prevent the infection from advancing further.
  • Mold. It is one of the best known, but also annoying. In this case, red and/or orange spots will appear, which will swell like blisters. It affects the part of the leaves to eliminate them you have to cut the affected areas (that's why you have to be attentive to any strange change).

Multiplication

When it comes to playing your Pennisetum alopecuroidesyou should know that you have two options to do it: by seeds or by dividing the plant.

If you do it by seeds, these must be planted in spring. The soil must be kept moist so that they can germinate well and, when they have grown, they will need sunlight to continue developing.

In the case of dividing the plant, you can only do this if the plant has survived the winter and is large enough to separate several smaller plants from each other.

Keep in mind that this is somewhat stressful for the plant, so you should expect it to be a few days, or even weeks, more off. But if all goes well, he'll be fine again.

Rusticity

Resist frosts down to -15ºC.

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