Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Grass
Origin
United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas, Mexico
Middle Africa
Types
-
Perennial Grass
Number of Varieties
215
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Cultivated Beds
Floodplains, Forest margins, Tropical regions, waterways, Wet lands, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-117-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-7
12 - 1
Sunset Zone
H1, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A1, A2, 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
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm120.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Magenta, Orange Red
Sandy Brown
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Blue Green
Purple
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Blue Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Blue Green
Purple
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Purple
Shape
Leaf Shape
Arrowhead
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Budding, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Requires regular watering, Water more in summer
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Apply 10-10-10 amount
Nitrogen, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
-
Insects, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Cold climate, 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
Medium
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
Birds, Flying insects
Allergy
Toxic
Asthma, breathing problems
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Amazing growth rate, Food for animals, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shelter for wildlife, Wildlife, Windbreak
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Diuretic, Purgative, Tonic
Eye Problems, Headache, Skin Disorders, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Used as a general tonic, Used as a rat poison, Used as a vegetable
Food for animals, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Wildflower
Bedding Plant, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
ERYTHRINA herbacea
PENNISETUM purpureum 'Prince'
Common Name
Red cardinal, Cardinal spear
Elephant Grass
In Hindi
Red Cardinal
हाथी घास
In German
Red Cardinal
Elefantengras
In French
Cardinal rouge
l'herbe à éléphant
In Spanish
Cárdenas
pasto elefante
In Greek
κόκκινο Καρδινάλιος
ελέφαντα χόρτο
In Portuguese
Cardeal vermelho
capim-elefante
In Polish
Red Cardinal
trawa słoniowa
In Latin
Cardinalis Rubrum
elephanti herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Fabales
Poales
Family
Fabaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Erythrina
Pennisetum
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Phaseoleae
Paniceae
Subfamily
Faboideae
Panicoideae
Number of Species
101
1
27800
👆🏻