I planted fountain grass in the garden this spring. Will it survive the winter?

Question:

I planted fountain grass in the garden this spring. Will it survive the winter?

Answer:

There are several species of fountain grass.  Perennial fountain grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides) is a perennial grass.  It is hardy in much of Iowa.  Annual fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum) is a widely grown annual grass.  The most popular annual cultivars are those with reddish purple foliage, such as ‘Rubrum.’  Annual fountain grass will not survive the winter in Iowa.