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| Category: Grass |
| Family: Poaceae (Gramineae) (Grasses) |
| Origin: India (Asia) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Red/Purple Foliage: Yes |
| Variegated Foliage: Yes |
| Flower Color: Green |
| Bloomtime: Fall |
| Synonyms: [Setaria palmifolia 'Rubra Variegata' |
| Height: 1-2 feet |
| Width: 2-3 feet |
| Exposure: Sun or Shade |
| Seaside: Yes |
| Summer Dry: Yes |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Medium Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 30-32° F |
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Setaria palmifolia 'Rubra Variegata' (Malaysian Variegated Palm Grass) - An evergreen outwardly spreading grass to 2 feet tall by 3 feet wide with long broad pleated leaves that have red central veins with bright white bands along the margins. The leaves emerge from maroon leaf sheaths along knotted stems that are a bit darker green and lack the coarse hair of regular Setaria palmifolia. In late fall cooler temperatures turn older foliage red as well and around this time appear the narrow bottlebrush-like inflorescence of small greenish flowers that rise above the foliage. Plant in full sun to light shade. May prove drought resistant like the species but seems to look best with regular summer irrigation. More tender than the species and will benefit from protection from even the lightest frost. An interesting and attractive plant - great alongside water features, rising out from lower growing plants or as a potted specimen that is sure to garner attention. This plant is considerably smaller and a little more tender than the green form of Setaria palmifolia. We thank variegated plant enthusiast Bob Hornback for sharing this plant with us but feel it as weak as the red form and have decided not to continue to grow it in 2013 - fun for the collector but hardly a landscape plant.
The information about Setaria palmifolia 'Variegata' displayed on this web page is based on our research conducted in the nursery's horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also include observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments we receive from others and welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share cultural information that would aid others in growing this plant. |
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