Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Fruit
Origin
Africa
Southern Asia, India, Melanesia, Australia
Types
Pennisetum glaucum
Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis
Number of Varieties
71
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Sunny Edge, Warmer regions
Well Drained
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-119-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 8
12-9
Sunset Zone
8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm370.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm300.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Brown, Purple, Purplish-black
White, Purple
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Cream
Yellow
Leaf Color in Spring
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
Oval
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Early Spring, Spring, Winter, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Budding, Cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Keep the Soil well drained, 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
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in winter, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune in spring, Remove branches, Remove branches that rub together, Remove crossing or rubbing branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
15-0-15, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, fertilize in spring, fertilize in summer, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Alternaria Leaf Spot, eyespot, Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
-
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Bees, Birds
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
along a porch, deck or patio, Beautification, Informal Hedge, Mixed Border, Showy Purposes, Wild gardens
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Respiratory Disorders, Soothing and relieving pain
Part of Plant Used
Branch, Flowering Tips, Whole plant
Flowers, Fruits
Other Uses
Beneficial species for attracting pollinators, repels deer
Making Perfumes, Traditional medicine, Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Dried Flower/Everlasting, Mixed Border
Container, Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Shade Trees, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
PENNISETUM glaucum 'purple millet'
CITRUS medica var. sarcodactylis
Common Name
Millet, Pearl Millet
Buddha's Hand, Fingered Citron
In Hindi
purple millet
Buddha's Hand
Tree
In German
purple millet
Buddhas Hand
Baum
In French
millet pourpre
Main de Bouddha
Arbre
In Spanish
purple millet
Mano de Buda
Árbol
In Greek
purple millet
Χέρι του Βούδα
Δέντρο
In Portuguese
purple millet
Mão de Buda
Árvore
In Polish
purple millet
Ręka Buddy
Drzewo
In Latin
purple millet
Buddha manus
Arbor
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Liliopsida
-
Order
Cyperales
Sapindales
Family
Poaceae
Rutaceae
Genus
Pennisetum
Citrus
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Paniceae
-
Subfamily
Panicoideae
-
Number of Species
11
1
27800
👆🏻