Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Biennials
Type
Grass
Vegetable
Origin
North America, United States, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Texas, Canada, Mexico
India, Philippines, Southeast Asia
Types
Sorghastrum nutans
Lagenaria siceraria
Number of Varieties
32
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Grassland, low mountains, Semi desert, Woodlands
Moist Soils, Tropical Climate
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-95-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9 - 1
12-1
Sunset Zone
7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 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
90.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Yellow, Orange, Dark Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Yellow, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Blue Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Blue Green, Burgundy, Copper
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Tan
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Palmate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Requires watering in the growing season, water on alternate days
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
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Requires very little pruning
Cut out old flower stalks, Prune after flowering, Remove branches that rub together, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
No fertilizers needed
High potassium diluted feed of 5-10-5, Nitrogen, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Insects
Army-worms, Bacteria wilt, Bacterial leaf spot, Blight, Cucumber beetles, Cutworms, Fusarium leaf spot, Leaf rust, Red spider mite, Striped cucumber beetles
Plant Tolerance
Drought and Salt
Full Sun, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
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
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Bees, Flies, Flying insects
Allergy
Skin irritation
Hypoglycaemic Coma, Irregular Heart Rhythm
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Decorating walls, Ornamental use
Beauty Benefits
-
Anti-ageing, Making cosmetics
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for animals, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Anti-fungal, Blood disorders, Culinary Usage, Diabetes, Gastrointestinal disorders, Laxative, Nutritive, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Fruits
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Cosmetics, Culinary use, Repellent, Used in making musical instruments
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Dried Flower/Everlasting, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Dried Flower/Everlasting, Vine
Botanical Name
SORGHASTRUM nutans
Lagenaria siceraria
Common Name
Indian Grass
calabash, bottle gourd, white-flowered gourd, opo squash
In Hindi
भारतीय घास
लौकी
In German
Indian Grass
Flaschenkürbis
In French
Herbe indienne
Lagenaria siceraria
In Spanish
Hierba india
Lagenaria siceraria
In Greek
Ινδικό Grass
Τσότρα
In Portuguese
grama indianas
Cabaça
In Polish
Indyjski Trawa
Tykwa pospolita
In Latin
Indian Grass
utrem cucurbita
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Poales
Cucurbitales
Family
Poaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Sorghastrum
Coccinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Papilionoideae
Number of Species
927
1
27800
👆🏻