Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Annual
Type
Grass
Vegetable
Origin
Africa
Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Pennisetum glaucum
Green Tomatillo, Purple Tomatillo
Number of Varieties
740
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Sunny Edge, Warmer regions
Cultivated Beds
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-116-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 8
12*1
Sunset Zone
8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Oval/Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Brown, Purple, Purplish-black
Yellow, Sandy Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Cream
Green, Purple, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Spring
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
Lance shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Lots of watering
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Prune in winter, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove all suckers, Remove wet foliage
Fertilizers
15-0-15, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Alternaria Leaf Spot, eyespot, Red blotch
Fungal Diseases
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
-
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
Sometimes
Sometimes
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Bees, Birds
Birds, Flea beetles
Allergy
-
Arthritis, Inflammation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
along a porch, deck or patio, Beautification, Informal Hedge, Mixed Border, Showy Purposes, Wild gardens
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Cancer, Diabetes, Energy, Opthalmic
Part of Plant Used
Branch, Flowering Tips, Whole plant
Fruits
Other Uses
Beneficial species for attracting pollinators, repels deer
Used for making green salsas and chilli sauce, Used in salads
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Dried Flower/Everlasting, Mixed Border
Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
PENNISETUM glaucum 'purple millet'
PHYSALIS philadelphica
Common Name
Millet, Pearl Millet
Green Tomato, Mexican Groundcherry, Tomatillo
In Hindi
purple millet
Tomatillos
In German
purple millet
Tomatillos
In French
millet pourpre
Tomatilles
In Spanish
purple millet
Tomatillos
In Greek
purple millet
Tomatillos
In Portuguese
purple millet
Tomatillos
In Polish
purple millet
Tomatillos
In Latin
purple millet
Tomatillos
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Solanales
Family
Poaceae
Solanaceae
Genus
Pennisetum
Physalis
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Paniceae
Physaleae
Subfamily
Panicoideae
Solanoideae
Number of Species
175
1
27800
👆🏻