Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Origin
Middle Africa
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Habitat
Floodplains, Forest margins, Tropical regions, waterways, Wet lands, Woodlands
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-11
4-9
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
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
Oval or Rounded
Flower Color
Sandy Brown
Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Leaf Color in Spring
Purple
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
Purple
-
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer
Spring
Tolerances
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Budding, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Low
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering, Water more in summer
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
Nitrogen, organic fertlizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Plant Tolerance
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Foliage Texture
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Attracts
Birds, Flying insects
-
Allergy
Asthma, breathing problems
Asthma
Aesthetic Uses
-
Showy Purposes
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Amazing growth rate, Food for animals, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shelter for wildlife, Wildlife, Windbreak
Erosion control, Wildlife
Medicinal Uses
Eye Problems, Headache, Skin Disorders, Wounds
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds
Whole plant
Other Uses
Food for animals, Used As Food
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
PENNISETUM purpureum 'Prince'
BETULA nigra
Common Name
Elephant Grass
River Birch
In Hindi
हाथी घास
River Birch
In German
Elefantengras
Fluss Birch
In French
l'herbe à éléphant
Birch river
In Spanish
pasto elefante
river Birch
In Greek
ελέφαντα χόρτο
ποταμός Birch
In Portuguese
capim-elefante
river Birch
In Polish
trawa słoniowa
Rzeka Birch
In Latin
elephanti herba
Betula
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Family
Poaceae
Betulaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Importance of Elephant Grass and River Birch
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Elephant Grass and River Birch. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Elephant Grass and River Birch as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Elephant Grass is Eye Problems, Headache, Skin Disorders and Wounds whereas of River Birch is . Elephant Grass has beauty benefits as follows: while River Birch has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Elephant Grass vs River Birch
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Elephant Grass vs River Birch and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Elephant Grass are Asthma and breathing problems whereas of River Birch have Asthma respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Elephant Grass has no showy fruits and River Birch has no showy fruits. Also Elephant Grass is not flowering and River Birch is not flowering . You can compare Elephant Grass and River Birch facts and facts of other plants too.