Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Tender Perennial
Origin
Middle Africa
Southern Africa
Types
Perennial Grass
Perennial
Number of Varieties
1550
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Floodplains, Forest margins, Tropical regions, waterways, Wet lands, Woodlands
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-118-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 1
10-8
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, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
120.00 cm61.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Sandy Brown
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Purple
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
Grass like
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
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Budding, Seedlings
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering, Water more in summer
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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, 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 dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, organic fertlizers
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch
Nematodes, Scale
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Flying insects
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Asthma, breathing problems
Skin irritation
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
Ethnobotanic
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Eye Problems, Headache, Skin Disorders, Wounds
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds
Root
Other Uses
Food for animals, Used As Food
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
PENNISETUM purpureum 'Prince'
DIETES bicolor
Common Name
Elephant Grass
African iris, Fortnight lily
In Hindi
हाथी घास
African Iris
In German
Elefantengras
Afrikanische Iris
In French
l'herbe à éléphant
African Iris
In Spanish
pasto elefante
Iris africano
In Greek
ελέφαντα χόρτο
Αφρικανική Iris
In Portuguese
capim-elefante
Iris africano
In Polish
trawa słoniowa
Afryki Iris
In Latin
elephanti herba
African Iris
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Poales
Asparagales
Family
Poaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Pennisetum
Dietes
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Paniceae
Irideae
Subfamily
Panicoideae
Iridoideae
Number of Species
1300
1
27800
👆🏻