Pennisetum alopecuroïdes Piglet - Chinese Fountain Grass

The Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Piglet' is a fountain grass that can be considered the little sister of Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Little Bunny' and the best-seller 'Hameln'. Even shorter, 'Piglet' is ideal for container gardening and ornamenting small spaces. This perennial and hardy grass forms a beautiful clump of fountain-shaped leaves, from which numerous beige-pinkish spikelets emerge in summer, reminiscent of large silky caterpillars. 

The Pennisetum alopecuroides "Piglet" comes from a sowing of the 'Hameln' culm grass. Brent Horvath of Intrinsic Perennial Gardens introduced this cultivar in Hebron, a village in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. The species is an herbaceous perennial belonging to the Poaceae family - formerly known as grasses - native to a large Northeast Asia and Australia. The basal clump comprises fine trailing leaves with a unique glaucous colour. The 'Piglet' cultivar is a dwarf variety, reaching 45 cm (18in) in height when flowering (25 cm (10in) for the foliage) and about 30 cm (12in) in width.  Flowering begins in August-September. It takes the form of silky beige-pinkish spikelets slightly curved. They are carried at the end of flexible and slightly arched culms that undulate in the breeze.

This miniature Piglet displays all its delicacy at the edges of pathways or in the foreground of flower beds. It will tenderly embrace the feet of dahlias or Perovskias, adding a touch of flexibility to these tall and solemn plants. It can also be associated with wandering plants such as yarrows or love-in-a-mist.

The Pennisetum alopecuroides, with their graphic appearance, allow you to move to certain areas while enjoying their texture and luminosity. These grasses look exceptionally radiant in low light and provide transparency and depth perception even in the smallest gardens. Don't hesitate to indulge your sense of touch in meadows or mixed flower beds, as their spikelets are as silky to the touch as they look. Additionally, Pennisetum has the advantage of preventing soil erosion due to its root system.

Position it in full sun. It particularly appreciates well-drained, even slightly dry, neutral pH soil.