Fountain Grass

21. September 2025 / 4. June 2026

Pennisetum alopecuroides

The fountain grass inflorescences really do look like the old-fashioned lamp-cleaning brushes from years ago. In fact, however, they are not hard enough to scrape soot from old oil lamps with their flowers.
Instead, you are encountering this immigrant from Southeast Asia more and more often in gardens and along roadsides—at least wherever it is moist enough. This image took a great deal of work to cut out, but the little green burst of cheerfulness was worth it!