Fountain grasses are very well named, with masses of flowers, flowing from clumps of mounded foliage. The flower spikes can be coloured, white-cream to red, with conspicuous bristles, hence the latin name Pennisetum, penna meaning feather and seta, bristle-like. Generally they come from tropical and warm-temperate regions, so do need a full sun, or very light shade, or grow in containers.
Many of the perennial species of Pennisetum have a tufted growth form, the tussocks harbouring beneficial invertebrate predators such as ladybirds through the winter months, while those with larger seeds provide food for sparrows and finches.