Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Tree
Origin
Middle Africa
Mexico, Central America
Types
Perennial Grass
Criollo, Forastero, Trinitario
Number of Varieties
153
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Floodplains, Forest margins, Tropical regions, waterways, Wet lands, Woodlands
Lowland, Tropical rainforest, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-1111-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 1
12-10
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
Habit
Clump-Forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
120.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Sandy Brown
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Gold, Burgundy, Dark Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Purple
Light Green, Dark Green, Pink, Copper
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Light Green, Dark Green, Copper
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple
Light Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
Broad, Unlobed
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Budding, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering, Water more in summer
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season
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
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Prune to stimulate growth, Prune twice a year, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, organic fertlizers
Ammonia sulphate, Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch
Borers, Insects, Phytophthora, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
Shade areas, Wet Site
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
-
Allergy
Asthma, breathing problems
Diabetes, Diarrhea
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
-
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
Anti-oxidant, Antioxidants, Asthma, Cancer, Cardiovascular problems, constipation, High cholestrol, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds
Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Food for animals, Used As Food
Employed in herbal medicine, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in making beverages
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
PENNISETUM purpureum 'Prince'
THEOBROMA cacao
Common Name
Elephant Grass
Cacao, Chocolate, Cocoa
In Hindi
हाथी घास
कोको संयंत्र
In German
Elefantengras
Kakaopflanze
In French
l'herbe à éléphant
usine de cacao
In Spanish
pasto elefante
planta del cacao
In Greek
ελέφαντα χόρτο
φυτό του κακάο
In Portuguese
capim-elefante
planta do cacau
In Polish
trawa słoniowa
Kakao roślin
In Latin
elephanti herba
Cocos herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Poales
Malvales
Family
Poaceae
Sterculiaceae
Genus
Pennisetum
Theobroma
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Paniceae
Theobromeae
Subfamily
Panicoideae
Byttneroideae
Number of Species
122
1
27800
👆🏻