Fountain grass (Cenchrus setaceus)
Fountain grass is a tufted perennial grass to 1.5 m high. Leaves have a long narrow leaf blade to 3.5 mm wide and 60 cm long. The flower heads resemble pink to purple bottle brushes 6 to 30 cm long.
Flowers are present from late spring to mid-winter.
Fountain grass is a highly invasive tufted grass. Plants are used as ornamentals in gardens and along roadsides.
Fountain grass seed is mainly wind-dispersed. Seed can remain viable in the soil for at least seven years. It is a fair chance that the plants on Rocky Hill established from wind-blown seeds that originated in Kooringal gardens.
In 202? there was a major control program that killed the majority of fountain grass plants on Rocky Hill.
Unfortunately the control team missed some areas and these plants are now flowering and setting seed.
See also https://rockyhill.com.au/portfolio/fountain-grass-2/
