Fountain grass 'Burgundy Bunny'

Questions about fountain grass 'Burgundy Bunny'

Does fountain grass 'Burgundy Bunny' need sun or shade?

Fountain grass 'Burgundy Bunny' grows in full sun (6 or more hours of direct sun a day).

It wants ordinary well-drained soil, of average fertility, and a good soak in dry spells. Once settled in, it stands drought.

What zones does fountain grass 'Burgundy Bunny' grow in?

USDA zones 5 to 9. It is hardy to zone 5, which means it survives winter nights down to about −10 °F (−23 °C).

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does fountain grass 'Burgundy Bunny' flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers late July to mid September. As a summer flower it moves about half a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should fountain grass 'Burgundy Bunny' be planted?

16 in (40 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 18 in (45 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 16 in (40 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many fountain grass 'Burgundy Bunny' plants do I need?

At 16 in apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 7 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 8 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 21 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as a group of three or five, with a second group further along in the other number.

In the bed above, the planner used one in one group.

Is fountain grass 'Burgundy Bunny' poisonous to dogs and cats?

No toxicity is recorded for dogs, cats, horses or people, according to NC State Extension.

"Not toxic" is not "edible": a pet that eats a lot of any plant can be sick.

Is there a native plant like fountain grass 'Burgundy Bunny'?

Fountain grass 'Burgundy Bunny' comes from East Asia, Western Australia. These North American natives come closest to doing its job:

• Purple love grass: the same job in a bed, the same size and the same flowering time; purple, not tan, wants dry soil.
• Prairie dropseed 'Tara': the same job in a bed, the same flowering time and the same colour; 8 in taller, wants dry soil.
• Pink tickseed: the same job in a bed and the same size; flowers late June to early September, pink, not tan.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat fountain grass 'Burgundy Bunny'?

Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to deer. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.

What flowers after fountain grass 'Burgundy Bunny'?

Fountain grass 'Burgundy Bunny' is over by mid September. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Garden chrysanthemum: from mid September to late October, 24 in tall.
• October daphne: from mid September to late October, 8 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Meadow saffron: from mid September to mid October, 6 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.

What does fountain grass 'Burgundy Bunny' look like in winter?

Fountain grass 'Burgundy Bunny' turns the colour of straw and, left uncut, stands through the winter, with seed for the birds. Cut it down in late winter, before the new shoots come up.

Is fountain grass 'Burgundy Bunny' good for bees and butterflies?

Fountain grass 'Burgundy Bunny' is visited by songbirds.