Fountain Grass Silhouetted at Sunset Over the Pacific

Fountain grass, likely Pennisetum setaceum, grows along dunes and bluffs on this stretch of San Diego coastline. Native to Africa and the Middle East, it has naturalized widely in coastal California, valued for its feathery seed heads and tolerance of sandy, salt-exposed soil. A lifeguard tower stands on the beach below, part of the network San Diego lifeguard services uses to watch over swimmers.

Taken November 2011