Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Grass
Grass
Origin
Mexico, South-Central United States, Southeastern United States
Africa
Types
Dallas Blues grass, Rotstrahlbush grass
Pennisetum glaucum
Number of Varieties
127
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Prairies, Roadsides, Warmer regions
Sunny Edge, Warmer regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-108-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 3
12 - 8
Sunset Zone
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Pink
Brown, Purple, Purplish-black
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Brown, Cream
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green, Brown
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy
Leaf Color in Winter
Tan, Brown
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Salt
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Divison, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Water frequently while growing, Water more frequently during periods of extreme drought
Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Prune when plant is dormant, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Prune in winter, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
No fertilizers needed
15-0-15, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Ladybug
Alternaria Leaf Spot, eyespot, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Deer resistant, 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
Fine
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Ladybug beetles
Aphids, Bees, Birds
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
along a porch, deck or patio, Beautification, Informal Hedge, Mixed Border, Showy Purposes, Wild gardens
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Shelter for wildlife
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Branch, Flowering Tips, Whole plant
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Beneficial species for attracting pollinators, repels deer
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Dried Flower / Everlasting, Container, Edging, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Dried Flower/Everlasting, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
Panicum virgatum
PENNISETUM glaucum 'purple millet'
Common Name
Shenandoah grass, switchgrass
Millet, Pearl Millet
In Hindi
Shenandoah grass
purple millet
In German
Shenandoah grass
purple millet
In French
Shenandoah grass
millet pourpre
In Spanish
Shenandoah grass
purple millet
In Greek
Shenandoah grass
purple millet
In Portuguese
Shenandoah grass
purple millet
In Polish
Shenandoah grass
purple millet
In Latin
Shenandoah grass
purple millet
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Cyperales
Family
Poaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Muhlenbergia
Pennisetum
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Paniceae
Subfamily
-
Panicoideae
Number of Species
11
1
27800
👆🏻