Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Lemon Squeeze Fountain Grass: A Gold Fountain for Sunny Beds
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Lemon Squeeze fountain grass is a vigorous ornamental grass with narrow, arching leaves in bright chartreuse gold. Unlike many gold-leaved plants, it holds that color in full sun without scorching. From mid-July into fall, fuzzy bottlebrush plumes in coppery tan rise above the leaves and age to tan, giving it interest from spring through the end of the season.
Lemon Squeeze at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Cenchrus alopecuroides 'Lemon Squeeze' (formerly Pennisetum) |
| Foliage | Chartreuse gold, brightest in full sun |
| Plumes | Copper bottlebrush plumes aging to tan |
| Size | 36 to 42 inches tall, 48 to 54 inches wide |
| Bloom | Mid-July into fall, peak mid-August |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 5 to 9 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Deer | Resistant |
Gold, purple and movement
Chartreuse and purple sit across the color wheel from each other, which is why this grass makes lavender look so vivid. Lemon Squeeze also adds something lavender cannot: movement. Its arching leaves sway in the slightest breeze, softening the tidy mounds of a lavender bed.
Because it gets about four feet wide, use it as an anchor behind lavender, at a corner, or as a repeated accent every so often along a long row. Keep a clear gap so the grass does not lean over the lavender and hold moisture around its crowns. The Companion Plant Planner is handy for testing spacing.
Planting and care
- Sun: full sun for the brightest gold.
- Soil: average to fertile and well drained. It tolerates dry spells once established.
- Timing: plant in spring rather than fall so the roots settle before winter.
- Water: regularly in its first season, then during long droughts.
- Problems: few. Occasional leaf spot or rust, and crown rot in wet, poorly drained soil.
Getting it through winter
Fountain grasses are lost most often to wet winter soil, not cold. In Michigan, leave the foliage standing all winter; it protects the crown and looks good with frost or snow on it. In early spring, before new growth starts, cut the clump back to a few inches. It is a satisfying job and takes about as long as pruning one lavender plant.
Plumes for arrangements
The copper plumes are rated good for cutting and fair for drying. A few stems tucked into a bundle of dried lavender add a soft, wheat-like texture.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lemon Squeeze good for pollinators?
Not especially. Like most grasses it is wind pollinated, so its value is in color and texture. Lavender takes care of the bees.
Will it seed around?
It is a clumping grass that grows into a wide mound. Watch for any stray seedlings and pull them if they appear.
How is it sold?
As a full 72-cell plug tray, suited to growers and mass plantings. See the product page for current availability and the Wholesale Hub for other trays.
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