Light: Full sun for strongest foliage color; tolerates light afternoon shade in Phoenix’s intense summer heat.
Water: Water regularly during establishment. Once established, water deeply when the upper few inches of soil dry; supplemental summer irrigation maintains attractive foliage. Avoid constantly wet soil.
Soil: Well-drained sandy or loamy soil; tolerates Phoenix’s alkaline soils. Improve drainage in heavy clay.
Mature size: 3–5 feet tall, including flower plumes, and 3–4 feet wide.
Bloom: Late spring through fall, with the heaviest display during warm weather; dried plumes persist into winter.
Evergreen / deciduous: Semi-evergreen in frost-free locations; foliage usually browns after frost. In Zone 9b, cold winters can damage or kill the crown.
Growth rate: Fast during warm weather.