Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Grass
Vegetable
Origin
Middle Africa
North America, Mexico, Central America
Types
Perennial Grass
-
Number of Varieties
1580
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Floodplains, Forest margins, Tropical regions, waterways, Wet lands, Woodlands
Loamy soils, Moist Soils, Subtropical climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-115-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 1
12-1
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
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
120.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Sandy Brown
Yellow, Orange, Dark Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Yellow, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Purple
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
Palmate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Very 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
Indeterminate
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
Keep ground moist, 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
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 out old flower stalks, Prune after flowering, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, organic fertlizers
Apply 10-10-10 amount, Apply 12-12-12 amounts, Nitrogen, Phosphate, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch
Aphids, Army-worms, Bacteria wilt, Bacterial leaf spot, Blight, Cucumber beetles, Cutworms, Fusarium leaf spot, Red spider mite
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
Drought, Full Sun, Salt and Soil Compaction
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Flying insects
Bees, Flies, Flying insects
Allergy
Asthma, breathing problems
Hypoglycaemic Coma, Irregular Heart Rhythm, Miscarriage
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Acne, For treating wrinkles, Improve hair condition, Nourishes scalp, Removes dandruff
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Amazing growth rate, Food for animals, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shelter for wildlife, Wildlife, Windbreak
Food for animals, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Eye Problems, Headache, Skin Disorders, Wounds
Anti-fungal, Detoxification, Diabetes, Gastrointestinal disorders, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds
Fruits
Other Uses
Food for animals, Used As Food
Cosmetics, Repellent, Use in Chinese herbology
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Dried Flower/Everlasting, Vine
Botanical Name
PENNISETUM purpureum 'Prince'
CUCURBITA pepo 'Bicolor Pear'
Common Name
Elephant Grass
Bicolor Pear Gourd, Ornamental Gourd
In Hindi
हाथी घास
करेला
In German
Elefantengras
Bittermelone
In French
l'herbe à éléphant
Momordica charantia
In Spanish
pasto elefante
Momordica charantia
In Greek
ελέφαντα χόρτο
-
In Portuguese
capim-elefante
Momordica
In Polish
trawa słoniowa
Przepękla ogórkowata
In Latin
elephanti herba
-
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Spermatophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Poales
Violales
Family
Poaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Pennisetum
Momordica
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
-
Tribe
Paniceae
-
Subfamily
Panicoideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
180
1
27800
👆🏻