Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Grass
Origin
Africa
Southeastern United States, California, Caribbean
Types
Pennisetum glaucum
Grass
Number of Varieties
71
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Sunny Edge, Warmer regions
marshes, Swamps, Tropical Climate
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-118-11
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, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Mat-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm760.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm15.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Brown, Purple, Purplish-black
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Cream
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
Fin-shaped Tufts
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
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
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Pollution, Salt, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Plugs, Sod, Sprigs
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs
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
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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
15-0-15, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Alternaria Leaf Spot, eyespot, Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Bees, Birds
-
Allergy
-
Congestion, Itchiness, sneezing
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
along a porch, deck or patio, Beautification, Informal Hedge, Mixed Border, Showy Purposes, Wild gardens
Beautification
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Branch, Flowering Tips, Whole plant
-
Other Uses
Beneficial species for attracting pollinators, repels deer
Used in lawns and turf
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Dried Flower/Everlasting, Mixed Border
Lawns and Turf
Botanical Name
PENNISETUM glaucum 'purple millet'
STENOTAPHRUM secundatum
Common Name
Millet, Pearl Millet
Softleaf Buffalo Grass, St. Augustine Grass
In Hindi
purple millet
St. Augustine Grass
In German
purple millet
St. Augustine Grass
In French
millet pourpre
St. Augustine Grass
In Spanish
purple millet
St. Augustine Grass
In Greek
purple millet
St. Augustine Grass
In Portuguese
purple millet
St. Augustine Grass
In Polish
purple millet
St. Augustine Grass
In Latin
purple millet
St. Augustine Grass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Cyperales
Family
Poaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Pennisetum
Stenotaphrum
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Paniceae
Paniceae
Subfamily
Panicoideae
Panicoideae
Number of Species
17
1
27800
👆🏻