Life Span
Perennial
  
Perennial
  
Type
Grass
  
Grass
  
Origin
Middle Africa
  
Mediterranean, Northern Africa
  
Types
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Habitat
Floodplains, Forest margins, Tropical regions, waterways, Wet lands, Woodlands
  
marshes, Riverbanks
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-11
  
6-9
  
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 1
  
9 - 6
  
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
  
Not Available
  
Habit
Clump-Forming
  
Upright/Erect
  
Plant Size
  
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
Sandy Brown
  
Purple, Silver
  
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
  
Bicolor
  
Fruit Color
Non Fruiting Plant
  
Purple
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Purple
  
White, Gray Green
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
  
Light Green
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple
  
Purple, Tan
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple
  
Purple, Tan
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
  
Grass like
  
Thorns
No
  
No
  
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Full Sun
  
Full Sun
  
Growth Rate
Very Fast
  
Medium
  
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
Loam
  
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
  
Acidic, Neutral
  
Soil Drainage
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer
  
Late Summer, Fall
  
Repeat Bloomer
No
  
No
  
Tolerances
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
  
Drought
  
Where to Plant?
Ground
  
Ground
  
How to Plant?
Budding, Seedlings
  
Seedlings, Vegetative
  
Plant Maintenance
Low
  
Medium
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering, Water more in summer
  
Water once every two or three weeks
  
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
  
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
  
Well drained
  
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
  
Full Sun
  
Pruning
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
  
Cut back all stems to the same height
  
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, organic fertlizers
  
0-10-10 NPK fertilizer
  
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch
  
Drought, Edema
  
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
  
Drought
  
Flowers
Showy
  
Showy
  
Flower Petal Number
Single
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
No
  
Yes
  
Edible Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
  
No
  
Showy Foliage
Yes
  
Yes
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Fine
  
Fine
  
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
  
Matte
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
Yes
  
Sometimes
  
Self-Sowing
Yes
  
Yes
  
Attracts
Birds, Flying insects
  
Birds
  
Allergy
Asthma, breathing problems
  
Noxious Weed
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
  
Borders, Showy Purposes
  
Beauty Benefits
No Beauty Benefits
  
Not Available
  
Edible Uses
Yes
  
No
  
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Amazing growth rate, Food for animals, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shelter for wildlife, Wildlife, Windbreak
  
Erosion control
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
Eye Problems, Headache, Skin Disorders, Wounds
  
Not Available
  
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds
  
Leaves
  
Other Uses
Food for animals, Used As Food
  
Cultivated for fodder
  
Used As Indoor Plant
No
  
No
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
  
Cutflower, Dried Flower/Everlasting, Feature Plant, Mixed Border
  
Botanical Name
PENNISETUM purpureum 'Prince'
  
SACCHARUM ravennae
  
Common Name
Elephant Grass
  
Hardy Pampas Grass, Plume Grass, Ravennagrass
  
In Hindi
हाथी घास
  
Plume Grass
  
In German
Elefantengras
  
Plume Gras
  
In French
l'herbe à éléphant
  
Plume Herbe
  
In Spanish
pasto elefante
  
Penacho de hierba
  
In Greek
ελέφαντα χόρτο
  
Plume Grass
  
In Portuguese
capim-elefante
  
Plume grama
  
In Polish
trawa słoniowa
  
Pióropusz Trawa
  
In Latin
elephanti herba
  
Kessinger Grass
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
  
Magnoliophyta
  
Class
Liliopsida
  
Lilopsida
  
Order
Poales
  
Cyperales
  
Family
Poaceae
  
Poaceae
  
Genus
Pennisetum
  
Saccharum
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
  
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
  
Tribe
Paniceae
  
Andropogoneae
  
Subfamily
Panicoideae
  
Panicoideae
  
Number of Species
Not Available
  
Not Available