Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Shrub
Origin
Middle Africa
Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean
Types
Perennial Grass
Cestrum nocturnum
Number of Varieties
155
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Floodplains, Forest margins, Tropical regions, waterways, Wet lands, Woodlands
Warm and moist climatic conditions
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-119-12
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
13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
120.00 cm120.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm180.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Sandy Brown
White, Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Purple
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Budding, Seedlings
Stem Cutting, Transplanting
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
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Prune in the growing season, Prune to half of its height, Remove dead branches
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, organic fertlizers
fertilize every 2-3 weeks while growing, light feeding and water solubles
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch
Aphids, Black spots, Caterpillars, Foliar disease, Sap-Sucking Insects, White spots
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Flying insects
Hummingbirds
Allergy
Asthma, breathing problems
Asthma, Respiratory problems
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Cottage Garden, 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
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Eye Problems, Headache, Skin Disorders, Wounds
Analgesic, Antidepressant, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Aphrodisiac, Conjuctivitis, Fever, Immunity, Urine infections, Used as a sedative
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds
Flowers
Other Uses
Food for animals, Used As Food
Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc.
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
PENNISETUM purpureum 'Prince'
CESTRUM nocturnum
Common Name
Elephant Grass
night-blooming jasmine, night-blooming cestrum, lady of the night, queen of the night, night-blooming jessamine
In Hindi
हाथी घास
रातरानी
In German
Elefantengras
Nachtjasmin
In French
l'herbe à éléphant
jasmin de nuit
In Spanish
pasto elefante
dama de noche
In Greek
ελέφαντα χόρτο
νύχτα γιασεμιά
In Portuguese
capim-elefante
jasmim-da-noite
In Polish
trawa słoniowa
noc kwitnący jaśmin
In Latin
elephanti herba
nox Aenean virent
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Poales
Solanales
Family
Poaceae
Solanaceae
Genus
Pennisetum
Cestrum
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Paniceae
-
Subfamily
Panicoideae
-
Number of Species
1200
1
27800
👆🏻