Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Grass
Origin
Melanesia, Australia
North America, Canada, Mexico
Types
Umbrella plant
Amate
Panicum abscissum, Panicum acostia, Panicum amarum
Number of Varieties
100038
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Homesteads, Roadsides, Tropical regions, Woods
Prairies
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-154-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
9 - 1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Habit
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm150.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
460.00 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Pink
Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red, Purple
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Red, Green, Orange, Blue Green, Gray Green, Bronze
Leaf Color in Winter
Red, Purple
Tan, Sandy Brown
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Transplanting
Divison, Root Division
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water occasionally
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune in spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Coarse
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Birds, Wildlife
Allergy
Dermititis
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Provides ground cover, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Arthritis, Asthma, Headache, Rheumatoid arthritis, Stomach pain
-
Part of Plant Used
Root
Leaves
Other Uses
Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes
Cattle Fodder, Used as Biofuel
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Screening / Wind Break, Street Trees, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
SCHEFFLERA actinophylla
PANICUM virgatum
Common Name
Octopus Tree
Switchgrass
In Hindi
ऑक्टोपस पेड़
Switchgrass
In German
Octopus tree
Switchgrass
In French
arbre Octopus
switchgrass
In Spanish
árbol pulpo
switchgrass
In Greek
χταπόδι δέντρο
switchgrass
In Portuguese
Octopus árvore
switchgrass
In Polish
Ośmiornica drzewo
switchgrass
In Latin
polypus ligno
switchgrass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Apiales
Cyperales
Family
Araliaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Schefflera
Panicum
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Paniceae
Subfamily
Aralioideae
Panicoideae
Number of Species
15450
1
27800
👆🏻