Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Grass
Origin
Southern Africa
Africa
Types
Perennial
Pennisetum glaucum
Number of Varieties
507
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
Sunny Edge, Warmer regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-108-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-8
12 - 8
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.30 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Brown, Purple, Purplish-black
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Brown
Brown, Cream
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Requires regular watering
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove dead leaves
Prune in winter, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
15-0-15, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Scale
Alternaria Leaf Spot, eyespot, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Deer resistant, 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
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Aphids, Bees, Birds
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
along a porch, deck or patio, Beautification, Informal Hedge, Mixed Border, Showy Purposes, Wild gardens
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Ethnobotanic
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Root
Branch, Flowering Tips, Whole plant
Other Uses
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Beneficial species for attracting pollinators, repels deer
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Dried Flower/Everlasting, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
DIETES bicolor
PENNISETUM glaucum 'purple millet'
Common Name
African iris, Fortnight lily
Millet, Pearl Millet
In Hindi
African Iris
purple millet
In German
Afrikanische Iris
purple millet
In French
African Iris
millet pourpre
In Spanish
Iris africano
purple millet
In Greek
Αφρικανική Iris
purple millet
In Portuguese
Iris africano
purple millet
In Polish
Afryki Iris
purple millet
In Latin
African Iris
purple millet
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Asparagales
Cyperales
Family
Iridaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Dietes
Pennisetum
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Irideae
Paniceae
Subfamily
Iridoideae
Panicoideae
Number of Species
3001
1
27800
👆🏻