Registration of ‘Tift 8’ Trispecific Ornamental Pennisetum

‘Tift 8’ (Reg. No. CV‐259, PI 659801) is a trispecific ornamental hybrid of Pennisetum approved for release by the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in 2010. It was produced from crosses between P. purpureum Schumach; P. squamulatum Fresen.; and P. glaucum (L.) R. Br. This trispecific hybrid is both pollen and seed sterile. Tift 8 is a vegetatively propagated cultivar that is perennial in USDA hardiness zones 8–10. It can be grown as a vigorous annual in more northern zones. Tift 8 is morphologically similar to ‘Tift 17’, but it is significantly taller and has a significantly smaller culm‐leaf angle than Tift 17. Tift 8 is significantly more resistant to Helminthosporium leaf spot (caused by Helminthosporium ocellum Faris) than ‘Princess’. Mature leaves of Tift 8 have a reddish‐purple color. The plant color of Tift 8 is equal to, and in some tests better than, that of Tift 17. Tift 8 flowers under short days; therefore, it will not produce inflorescences where winter temperatures reach freezing (0°C) or below, or before the daylength is 10.5 h. A plant patent application has been submitted for Tift 8.