Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Tree
Origin
Middle Africa
Melanesia, Australia
Types
Perennial Grass
Umbrella plant
Amate
Number of Varieties
151000
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Floodplains, Forest margins, Tropical regions, waterways, Wet lands, Woodlands
gardens, Homesteads, Roadsides, Tropical regions, Woods
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 1
12-9
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
H1, H2, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
120.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm460.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Sandy Brown
Red, Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Red, Purple
Leaf Color in Spring
Purple
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple
Red, Purple
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
Elliptic
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Budding, Seedlings
Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering, Water more in summer
Do Not over Water, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water occasionally
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, organic fertlizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
Drought
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Flying insects
Birds
Allergy
Asthma, breathing problems
Dermititis
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
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
Arthritis, Asthma, Headache, Rheumatoid arthritis, Stomach pain
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds
Root
Other Uses
Food for animals, Used As Food
Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Screening / Wind Break, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
PENNISETUM purpureum 'Prince'
SCHEFFLERA actinophylla
Common Name
Elephant Grass
Octopus Tree
In Hindi
हाथी घास
ऑक्टोपस पेड़
In German
Elefantengras
Octopus tree
In French
l'herbe à éléphant
arbre Octopus
In Spanish
pasto elefante
árbol pulpo
In Greek
ελέφαντα χόρτο
χταπόδι δέντρο
In Portuguese
capim-elefante
Octopus árvore
In Polish
trawa słoniowa
Ośmiornica drzewo
In Latin
elephanti herba
polypus ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Poales
Apiales
Family
Poaceae
Araliaceae
Genus
Pennisetum
Schefflera
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Paniceae
-
Subfamily
Panicoideae
Aralioideae
Number of Species
115
1
27800
👆🏻