Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Perennial
Origin
Middle Africa
Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Southwestern United States, Texas, Canada, Mexico
Types
Perennial Grass
Ratibida columnifera
Number of Varieties
1525
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Floodplains, Forest margins, Tropical regions, waterways, Wet lands, Woodlands
Dry areas, Prairies, Rocky areas, rocky outcrops
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-113-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 1
10-1
Sunset Zone
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
120.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Sandy Brown
Yellow, Purple, Burgundy, Light Green, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Purple
Light Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Light Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple
Light Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
Subulate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Budding, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering, Water more in summer
Average Water Needs, Water in morning to avoid prompting diseases
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch Tips, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, organic fertlizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
Drought, Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Full Sun
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Flying insects
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Asthma, breathing problems
Rhinitis
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Borders
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Amazing growth rate, Food for animals, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shelter for wildlife, Wildlife, Windbreak
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Eye Problems, Headache, Skin Disorders, Wounds
Analgesic
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds
Flowers
Other Uses
Food for animals, Used As Food
Can be made into a herbal tea, Used in making tea
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Botanical Name
PENNISETUM purpureum 'Prince'
RATIBIDA columnifera
Common Name
Elephant Grass
Mexican Hat
In Hindi
हाथी घास
Mexican Hat
In German
Elefantengras
Mexican Hat
In French
l'herbe à éléphant
Mexican Hat
In Spanish
pasto elefante
mexican Hat
In Greek
ελέφαντα χόρτο
Mexican Hat
In Portuguese
capim-elefante
Mexican Hat
In Polish
trawa słoniowa
Mexican Hat
In Latin
elephanti herba
Mexicanus Hat
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Poales
Asterales
Family
Poaceae
Asteraceae
Genus
Pennisetum
Ratibida
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Paniceae
-
Subfamily
Panicoideae
-
Number of Species
114
1
27800
👆🏻