North of zone 8 it is grown as an annual and yes it does get that big in one season.
Ornamental grass vertigo. Vertigo is especially dramatic in clusters mass plantings or along slopes. Plan for a big plant. Vertigo turns brown at first frost. The high light levels deepen the purple foliage color and help keep the plants more compact while also adding to the number of side branches.
It is dramatic in mass plantings or clusters too. Therefore it needs warmth and high light levels. Graceful grasses vertigo pennisetum also looks great in fresh or dried flower arrangements and truly lovely in fall. You can plant as an accent or container plant.
Vertigo is a tropical grass. Its most amazing features are its deep burgundy purple foliage and noble structural form in the landscape. Not all ornamental grasses look good through the winter trim back those that don t look good in the fall. This heat loving grass performs all summer and fall.
The photo you see here was taken near detroit michigan zone 5. A favorite for fresh or dried arrangements. Vertigo is an incredibly vigorous ornamental grass that can reach heights of 4 8 with a similar girth in a single season. Since they re warm season grasses they ll grow more vigorously under longday photoperiods as well.
Vertigo is a vigorous grower and usually grows to about 3 feet high but can grow to 4 feet tall in the deep south. If you leave the trimming until spring try to make sure to cut them back to the ground you can leave a couple of inches by late spring before new growth begins.