Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Grass
Origin
Southeastern Asia
Africa
Types
Taro Alocasia reginula, Night scented lily
Pennisetum glaucum
Number of Varieties
707
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Terrestrial, Wet lands
Sunny Edge, Warmer regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-158-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
12 - 8
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.30 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Brown, Purple, Purplish-black
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Brown, Cream
Leaf Color in Spring
Purple, Dark Green, Silver, Black
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy
Leaf Color in Summer
Purple, Dark Green, Silver, Black
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Dark Green, Silver, Black
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green, Silver, Black
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart-shaped
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Full Sun, Humidity
-
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Divison, From bulbs, From Rhizomes
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Water Deeply
Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Less Watering
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Prune in winter, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
15-0-15, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Blight, Mites, Red spider mite
Alternaria Leaf Spot, eyespot, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Full Sun, Humidity
Deer resistant, Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
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
Spider Mites
Aphids, Bees, Birds
Allergy
Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Showy Purposes
along a porch, deck or patio, Beautification, Informal Hedge, Mixed Border, Showy Purposes, Wild gardens
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
-
Branch, Flowering Tips, Whole plant
Other Uses
Air freshner, Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Beneficial species for attracting pollinators, repels deer
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Dried Flower/Everlasting, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
ALOCASIA reginula
PENNISETUM glaucum 'purple millet'
Common Name
Elephant Ear
Millet, Pearl Millet
In Hindi
Elephant Ear
purple millet
In German
Elephant Ear
purple millet
In French
Elephant Ear
millet pourpre
In Spanish
Elephant Ear
purple millet
In Greek
Elephant Ear
purple millet
In Portuguese
Elephant Ear
purple millet
In Polish
Elephant Ear
purple millet
In Latin
Elephant Ear
purple millet
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Alismatales
Cyperales
Family
Araceae
Poaceae
Genus
Alocasia
Pennisetum
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Colocasiodeae
Paniceae
Subfamily
Aroideae
Panicoideae
Number of Species
791
1
27800
👆🏻