Pennisetum orientale 'Karley Rose' is a showy ornamental grass with graceful arching foliage and long blooming smoky pink flower plumes. It adds a softness, motion, and extended seasonal color to garden beds and mixed borders with minimal care.
Height & Spread: 30 - 36 in x 24 - 30 in
Bloom Time: Early summer to frost
Light Requirements: Full sun
Soil Preference: Well drained soil; adaptable to sandy or average soils
Watering Needs: Low to moderate; drought tolerant
Deer Resistance: Resistant to deer browsing
Native Status
This cultivar is derived from Pennisetum orientale, a species native to Asia.
WILDLIFE & INSECTS
Birds
- Songbirds are attracted to the seed heads and use the arching foliage for cover in fall and winter.
Spacing & Landscape Use
Spacing Recommendations:
- Space 24 - 30 in apart to allow graceful spread and airflow.
Landscape Placement:
- Ideal for mass planting, sunny slopes, or mixed perennial beds. Excellent for softening hardscapes or creating a billowing effect in breezy gardens.
Companion Plants
- Gaura lindheimeri (Whirling Butterflies) - Pairs well with the flowing habit and pink tones.
- Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage) - Adds upright lavender blue flowers and drought resilience.
- Rudbeckia fulgida (Black Eyed Susan) - Offers bold yellow blooms for contrast.
- Agastache foeniculum (Anise Hyssop) - Provides fragrance and purple spiked flowers that echo the pink plumes.
- Achillea millefolium (Yarrow) - Adds flat flower heads and silvery foliage for a textural blend.