Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Tree
Origin
Africa
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Pennisetum glaucum
Guaiacum officinale
Number of Varieties
73
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Sunny Edge, Warmer regions
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 8
12-10
Sunset Zone
8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2
Habit
Upright/Erect
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Brown, Purple, Purplish-black
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Cream
Yellow, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Olive
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
Egg-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Very Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Consistently
In Spring
Moderate
Average Water
In Winter
Average Water
Moderate
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
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 to stimulate growth
Fertilizers
15-0-15, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Fertilize three times a year
Pests and Diseases
Alternaria Leaf Spot, eyespot, Red blotch
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought, Salt
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
Coarse
Fine
Foliage Sheen
-
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Bees, Birds
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
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
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Branch, Flowering Tips, Whole plant
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Beneficial species for attracting pollinators, repels deer
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Dried Flower/Everlasting, Mixed Border
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
PENNISETUM glaucum 'purple millet'
GUAIACUM sanctum
Common Name
Millet, Pearl Millet
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
In Hindi
purple millet
Lignum Vitae
In German
purple millet
Lignum Vitae
In French
millet pourpre
Lignum Vitae
In Spanish
purple millet
Palo santo
In Greek
purple millet
Lignum Vitae
In Portuguese
purple millet
pau-santo
In Polish
purple millet
Lignum Vitae
In Latin
purple millet
lignum Vitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Sapindales
Family
Poaceae
Zygophyllaceae
Genus
Pennisetum
Guaiacum
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
-
Tribe
Paniceae
-
Subfamily
Panicoideae
-
Number of Species
13
1
27800
👆🏻