General: Fountain Grass (Pennisetum setaceum) is an ornamental species that has escaped cultivation and grows aggressively in damp places such as along Lake Mead and ponds in the Las Vegas Valley. Fountain Grass looks like an overgrown bunchgrass with long leaves and a very large, dense, flowerheads. Inflorescence pink to red; spikelets to 7 mm.

Keep an eye out for this species. Land managers around Las Vegas are actively working to eradicate Fountain Grass, so hopefully you won't see it anywhere. Fountain Grass is on the "Watch Weeds" list in the Lower Las Vegas Wash, and it is on the Lake Mead NRA "Top 10 Invasive Species" list.

This is a State of Nevada listed noxious weed. If hikers and other visitors to the native habitats around Las Vegas see this species, please report the observation to the Nevada Department of Agriculture using their online forms. If you have this species on your private property, please consider eradicating it.

Family: Grass (Poaceae).

Other Names: crimson fountaingrass, crimson fountain grass, green fountaingrass, green fountain grass. The proper common name for this species is "crimson fountaingrass," but I use the name "green fountain grass" to match the Nevada Department of Agriculture Noxious Weeds List.

Plant Form: Bunchgrass.

Height: Usually about 4 feet.

Stems: Round, hollow.

Leaves: Basal.

Flowers: Inflorescence: spike, individual flowers (spikelets) with many long bristles.

Seeds:

Habitat: Grown at a landscape plant around homes and business around the Las Vegas valley, but has escaped into damp areas around town.

Elevation:

Distribution: Native to Europe and Eurasia, introduced widely across the western U.S.

Comments: This invasive exotic species is not native, and its presence should be reported to authorities when found growing in the desert.