• Image of Pennisetum messiacum 'Red Buttons' taken at Juniper Level Botanic Gdn, NC by JLBG
    Juniper Level Botanic Gdn, NC by JLBG

Pennisetum messiacum 'Red Buttons'

Red Bunny Tail Fountain Grass

This plant is not currently for sale. This is an archive page preserved for informational use.

Shop Available Pennisetum

Item #: 5800

Zones: 7a to 10b, possibly colder

Dormancy: Winter

Height: 36" tall

Culture: Sun

Origin: Kenya

Pot Size: 3.5" pot (24 fl. oz/0.7 L)


This well-behaved Kenyan native makes a delightful airy addition to the summer garden. Pennisetum massaicum 'Red Buttons' makes a 2' tall x 4' wide clump of narrow green foliage, topped from midsummer until early fall with a mass of 3' tall plumes that top the foliage by about 1'. The plumes emerge reddish-brown, and age to tan. Our neglected 22 year old clumps still look stunning, and we've yet to see a single seedling.