Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Biennial
Type
Grass
Tree
Origin
Africa
-
Types
Pennisetum glaucum
Chinese red birch, Betula fruticosa, Betula ermanii
Number of Varieties
760
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Sunny Edge, Warmer regions
Rocky areas, Sandy areas, Well Drained, Wet forest, Wet ground, Wet lands
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-114-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 8
7-1
Sunset Zone
8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16
Habit
Upright/Erect
Pyramidal
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm1,219.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm762.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Brown, Purple, Purplish-black
Yellow, Tan
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Cream
Bronze, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy
Yellow, Red, Orange
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Early Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
-
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs, Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in winter, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune in early spring, Prune in late winter, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove short branches
Fertilizers
15-0-15, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize in early spring, Fertilize in late fall, Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Alternaria Leaf Spot, eyespot, Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
-
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Medium
Foliage Sheen
-
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Bees, Birds
Ants, Birds, Insects
Allergy
-
Itchiness, Pollen, Sore Throat
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
along a porch, deck or patio, Beautification, Informal Hedge, Mixed Border, Showy Purposes, Wild gardens
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
anti-inflammatory, Arthritis, Bone strength, Dermatitis, Eczema, Eliminate toxins, Heart problems, High cholestrol, Immunity, Kidney problems
Part of Plant Used
Branch, Flowering Tips, Whole plant
Whole plant
Other Uses
Beneficial species for attracting pollinators, repels deer
Used in paper industry
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Dried Flower/Everlasting, Mixed Border
Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
PENNISETUM glaucum 'purple millet'
BETULA 'Crimson Frost'
Common Name
Millet, Pearl Millet
Birch, Crimson Frost Birch
In Hindi
purple millet
भोज पत्र
In German
purple millet
Birke
In French
millet pourpre
Arbre de bouleau
In Spanish
purple millet
Abedul
In Greek
purple millet
Birch Tree
In Portuguese
purple millet
bétula
In Polish
purple millet
Brzoza
In Latin
purple millet
Caerulus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Fagales
Family
Poaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Pennisetum
Betula
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Paniceae
-
Subfamily
Panicoideae
Carpinaceae
Number of Species
134
1
27800
👆🏻