Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Tree
Origin
Southwestern United States, Texas, Mexico
Mexico, Central America
Types
Nassella tenuissima
Criollo, Forastero, Trinitario
Number of Varieties
153
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
driveways, open Woodlands, Roadsides, Rocky areas, Slopes, tree wells
Lowland, Tropical rainforest, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
6-1011-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11 - 4
12-10
Sunset Zone
2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2
Habit
Clump-Forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
50.80 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
55.90 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Gold, Burgundy, Dark Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Light Green, Dark Green, Pink, Copper
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Light Green, Dark Green, Copper
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Yellow green, Tan
Light Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Yellow green, Gold, Tan
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Broad, Unlobed
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season
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, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun
Pruning
Requires little pruning
Prune to stimulate growth, Prune twice a year, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Apply 12-6-6 fertilizer
Ammonia sulphate, Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Borers, Insects, Phytophthora, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Shade areas, Wet Site
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
Fine
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
-
Diabetes, Diarrhea
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes, small hedge
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Anti-oxidant, Antioxidants, Asthma, Cancer, Cardiovascular problems, constipation, High cholestrol, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Employed in herbal medicine, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in making beverages
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Dried Flower / Everlasting, Container, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
NASSELLA tenuissima
THEOBROMA cacao
Common Name
Finestem Needlegrass, Mexican Feather Grass
Cacao, Chocolate, Cocoa
In Hindi
Mexican Feather Grass
कोको संयंत्र
In German
Mexikanische Federgras
Kakaopflanze
In French
Mexicaine Herbe Feather
usine de cacao
In Spanish
Pluma hierba mexicana
planta del cacao
In Greek
Μεξικού Αστραπή Grass
φυτό του κακάο
In Portuguese
Mexican Pena Relva
planta do cacau
In Polish
Mexican Feather trawy
Kakao roślin
In Latin
Mexicanus Pluma Grass
Cocos herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Malvales
Family
Poaceae
Sterculiaceae
Genus
Nassella
Theobroma
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Stipeae
Theobromeae
Subfamily
-
Byttneroideae
Number of Species
11622
1
27800
👆🏻