Fountain grass is primarily used for its decorative purposes. This grass has become widely used in residential landscaping as an eye-catching addition to yards around the country. The height of the plant, the way the upright stems shoot straight through the surrounding, fountain-like leaves, and the bright green and purple colors of the plant are nothing less than beautiful. It is no wonder this grass has become a staple for landscaping.

But there is a darker side to this plant. What may look beautiful in your yard could actually be doing incredible damage to the local flora and fauna throughout your area.

About Fountain Grass

Fountain grass is actually native to northern Africa and western Asia. These plants were introduced to landscapes throughout the United States intentionally as a beautiful addition to professionally designed landscapes. Since that time, local nurseries have been selling this plant to the public without warning about the damage it could be doing.

This plant grows up to 4.5 feet tall, has leaves about 2 feet long, and roots that drop nearly 1 foot deep. The seeds for this plant are viable for up to 7 years, take a few months to mature, and germinate in early spring. This perennial plant develops incredible green and purple colors depending on the variety and can easily survive up to 20 years.

Unlike buffelgrass, fountain grass can grow at an increasing range of elevations. Like buffelgrass, fountain grass prefers warm arid climates but can withstand the cold more efficiently. The tolerance for a wide variety of weather patterns is one of the reasons that fountain grass has gained popularity within residential landscaping.

Fountain Grass as an Invasive Species

At this point you may be wondering why fountain grass has made it into our invasive species list. Its residential uses do not sound as if they are creating anything other than curbside appeal, right?

Wrong.

What started as an innocent attempt at improving the appeal of a front yard has quickly created a problem to the local environments where this plant thrives.

California, Arizona, and Nevada have deemed this plant an invasive species for many reasons.

The ability to control the spread of fountain grass is nearly impossible. The seeds of this plant are easily carried and transferred to other locations due to the bristles on the seeds. These seeds easily attach to clothing, animals, rodents, birds, vehicles, and are light enough to be carried by the wind. Because of this, even densely populated urban areas are not safe locations to grow this plant.

The long-term viability of the seeds is another factor in the invasiveness of this plant. It does not matter when the seeds are moved to a new location. Even if the conditions are not perfect for germination at the time a seed enters an area, they will be eventually. Fountain grass seeds can wait until the conditions match up and will eventually germinate into and invade the new space.

The long lifespan is another factor to consider when speaking about invasive species. A plant that can survive up to 20 years without nurturing allows for many cycles of seeds. One plant could be responsible for thousands more throughout the area in the ~20 years it lives.

Because fountain grass is much larger, taller, and wider than many other grasses, it diminishes the ability for those other grasses to grow in the same places. Additionally, with deeper root systems, the fight for nutrients between fountain grass and smaller native grasses is easily won thereby eliminating the competition and eventually destroying the native plants and natural ecosystem.

Beyond the damage fountain grass directly causes to other plant species, this tall, dry grass is a target for wildfires. Even going so far as to completely change natural wildfire path directions.

Controlling Fountain Grass

By this point we hope that you understand the dangers of introducing more fountain grass to the landscape. But what can be done about the damage that fountain grass has already done?

Can we use controlled burns to get rid of it?

Unfortunately, no. Fountain grass actually thrives in fire rich environments. It burns fast, but it grows back. Growing even faster than before.

Can we use widespread herbicides?

While this method may be effective, there is not a solution designed specifically to target fountain grass which means many of the other plant species in the area would be impacted by the chemicals which only further damages the ecosystem.

What about grazing?

Not only do cattle and other grazing mammals not prefer the taste of fountain grass, the seeds would still be spread and the root systems left intact. Therefore, grazing actually increases the problem rather than helps.

So what can be done?

The process of eliminating fountain grass is not an easy one. In fact, it can take seven years of repeated control protocols to officially eliminate the species from an area.

Protocol dictates taking the following steps:

1. Focus on small outbreaks first. By focusing on small outbreaks of fountain grass you can prevent them from becoming larger and also stop the spread of seeds from multiple locations. The less outbreaks in an area, the easier they are to control. So, starting small actually helps to prevent further problems later.
2. Remove the entire root. Since fountain grass is such a durable plant, it is imperative to remove the entire plant including the root system. Bag the plant upon removal to prevent the spread of seeds during travel.
3. Use herbicide as a spot treatment. Once the plant is removed, herbicide should be used as a spot treatment in the hole where the plant was removed. Limiting the use of herbicide as a wide range method reduces the impact on other local plants that are not invasive to the area.
4. Tackle larger outbreaks in stages. Once the smaller outbreaks are under control, you can start tackling the larger outbreaks. This should be done in stages rather than all at once. Start with the outside perimeter and follow the steps above – remove the plants from the root, bag the plants for removal, use herbicide as a spot treatment, and repeat until the entire outbreak is gone.
5. Use continued observation to prevent recurrences. Fountain grass seeds can lay dormant for up to seven years which is why continued observation is so crucial. Revisit sites that were previous hotspots for outbreaks and try to catch new growth before they have time to go to seed. Doing this will reduce the cycle of fountain grass outbreaks until none is left in the area.

Much effort is needed to eradicate this invasive species so the best thing you can do is to educate others about this plant. Voice your concerns to local landscape companies and nurseries, talk to your neighbors about helping them remove their fountain grass and replace with an alternative, and do your part by researching any purchased plants to make sure they are healthy for your local ecosystem.