Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Bulb or Corm or Tuber
Origin
Africa
Southern Africa, South Africa
Types
Pennisetum glaucum
Ornithogalum Umbellatum
Ornithogalum thyrsoides
Ornithogalum dubium
Ornithogalum arabicum
Ornithogalum nutans
Number of Varieties
760
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Sunny Edge, Warmer regions
Grassland
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-117-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 8
10-7
Sunset Zone
8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
21,22
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm20.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm15.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Brown, Purple, Purplish-black
Orange, Gold
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Cream
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy
Green, Blue Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy
Several shades of Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Very Fast
-
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
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
By dividing rhizomes, tubers, From bulbs
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Requires regular watering
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, Partial shade
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
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
-
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Bees, Birds
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
along a porch, deck or patio, Beautification, Informal Hedge, Mixed Border, Showy Purposes, Wild gardens
Beautification, Bog Garden, Borders, Decorating walls
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Branch, Flowering Tips, Whole plant
Flowers, Root
Other Uses
Beneficial species for attracting pollinators, repels deer
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Dried Flower/Everlasting, Mixed Border
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
PENNISETUM glaucum 'purple millet'
ORNITHOGALUM dubium
Common Name
Millet, Pearl Millet
Snake Flower, Sun Star, Yellow Chincherinchee
In Hindi
purple millet
Sun Star
In German
purple millet
Sun Star
In French
millet pourpre
Sun Star
In Spanish
purple millet
Sun Star
In Greek
purple millet
Sun Star
In Portuguese
purple millet
Sun Star
In Polish
purple millet
Sun Star
In Latin
purple millet
Sun Star
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Platyhelminthes
Class
Liliopsida
Lilopsida
Order
Cyperales
Asparagales
Family
Poaceae
Asparagaceae
Genus
Pennisetum
Ornithogalum
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Paniceae
Ornithogaleae
Subfamily
Panicoideae
Scilloideae
Number of Species
150
1
27800
👆🏻