Life Span
Annual
  
Perennial
  
Type
Ornamental Plants, Shrubs
  
Fern
  
Origin
Eastern Europe, Western Asia
  
North America, Northeastern United States
  
Types
Kochia Indica, Neokochia californica
  
Not Available
  
Number of Varieties
Not Available
  
Habitat
gardens, Temperate Regions
  
Boggy areas, By seashore, Coastal Regions, Moist woods, Swamps
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-11
  
3-8
  
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 1
  
8-1
  
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, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
  
Habit
Upright/Erect
  
Clump-Forming
  
Plant Size
  
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
  
Bicolor
  
Fruit Color
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green
  
Green
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Not Available
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Gray Green, Burgundy, Crimson
  
Green, Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
  
Dark Green
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
Linear
  
Pinnate
  
Thorns
No
  
No
  
Plant Season
Fall
  
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Full Sun
  
Full Sun, Partial shade
  
Growth Rate
Fast
  
Medium
  
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
  
Loam
  
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
  
Acidic, Neutral
  
Soil Drainage
Average
  
Average
  
Bloom Time
Summer
  
Indeterminate
  
Repeat Bloomer
No
  
No
  
Tolerances
Drought
  
Drought, Wet Site
  
Where to Plant?
Ground
  
Container, Ground
  
How to Plant?
Stem Cutting, Transplanting
  
Divison, Spores
  
Plant Maintenance
Medium
  
Medium
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
occasional watering once established, Requires consistently moist soil
  
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply
  
In Summer
Moderate
  
Lots of watering
  
In Spring
Moderate
  
Moderate
  
In Winter
Less Watering
  
Average Water
  
Soil
  
  
Soil pH
Neutral
  
Acidic, Neutral
  
Soil Type
Well drained
  
Loam
  
Soil Drainage Capacity
Loamy, Well drained
  
Average
  
Sun Exposure
Bright direct sunlight
  
Full Sun, Partial shade
  
Pruning
Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness, Remove dead branches
  
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
  
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
  
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
  
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Mosquito
  
Red blotch
  
Plant Tolerance
Heat Tolerance, Humidity
  
Drought
  
Flowers
No
  
None
  
Flower Petal Number
Not Available
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
No
  
No
  
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
  
Medium
  
Foliage Sheen
Matte
  
Matte
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
Sometimes
  
No
  
Self-Sowing
Yes
  
Yes
  
Attracts
Butterflies, Leaf Hoppers
  
Insects
  
Allergy
Eye irritation, Respiratory problems
  
Avoid during Pregnancy, coma, Eye irritation, weakness
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Landscape Designing
  
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
  
Beauty Benefits
For treating wrinkles, Making cosmetics, Removes dandruff, Skin cleanser
  
Not Available
  
Edible Uses
Sometimes
  
Yes
  
Environmental Uses
Provides ground cover
  
Air purification
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
Diabetes, Hypotensive, Obesity
  
Nutrients
  
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
  
Leaves
  
Other Uses
Cattle Fodder, Sauces, Traditional medicine, Used for fragrance, Wood log is used in making fences
  
Air freshner, Decoration Purposes, Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes, Used for its medicinal properties
  
Used As Indoor Plant
No
  
Yes
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Groundcover
  
Groundcover, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
  
Botanical Name
BASSIA scoparia
  
POLYSTICHUM acrostichoides
  
Common Name
Burningbush, Kochia
  
Not Available
  
In Hindi
Bassia scoparia
  
Christmas Fern
  
In German
Besen-Radmelde
  
Christmas Fern
  
In French
Bassia scoparia
  
polystic faux-acrostic
  
In Spanish
Kochia scoparia
  
Christmas Fern
  
In Greek
Bassia scoparia
  
Christmas Fern
  
In Portuguese
Bassia scoparia
  
Christmas Fern
  
In Polish
Mietelnik żakula
  
Christmas Fern
  
In Latin
Bassia scoparia
  
Christmas Fern
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Angiosperms
  
Filicinophyta
  
Class
Magnoliopsida
  
Filicopsida
  
Order
Caryophyllales
  
Filicales
  
Family
Chenopodiaceae
  
Dryopteridaceae
  
Genus
Bassia
  
Polystichum
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots
  
Not Available
  
Tribe
Not Available
  
Not Available
  
Subfamily
Camphorosmoideae
  
Not Available
  
Number of Species
Not Available
  
Not Available