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Plants that fill a similar niche:
Rubus idaeus Rubus idaeus
Styphnolobium japonicum Styphnolobium japonicum
Berberis aquifolium Early spring in a woodland habitat.

Pearl Millet Cenchrus americanus

Other Common Name(s):

Previously known as:

  • Pennisetum glaucum
Phonetic Spelling
SEN-krus a-mer-ih-KAH-nus
Description

Pearl Millet is an ornamental grass native to Africa with very showy flowers that produce a highly nutritious edible seed called millet.  It is well adapted to drought conditions and poor soils making it a crop we will look to in the future.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Jade Princess'
    Green leaves
  • 'Purple Baron'
    Purple leaves
'Jade Princess', 'Purple Baron'
Tags:
#dye plant
 
Pennisetum glaucum
'Purple Baron' Form Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Pennisetum glaucum
'Jade Princess' Form Jim Robbins CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Jade Princess'
    Green leaves
  • 'Purple Baron'
    Purple leaves
'Jade Princess', 'Purple Baron'
Tags:
#dye plant
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Cenchrus
    Species:
    americanus
    Family:
    Poaceae
    Uses (Ethnobotany):
    A dye plant, used medicinally and for hay for livestock.
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Africa
    Edibility:
    Seeds are edible.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Edible
    Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Soil Drainage:
    Occasionally Dry
    Very Dry
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Value To Gardener:
    Edible
    Fruit Type:
    Caryopsis
  • Leaves:
    Hairs Present:
    No
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Theme:
    Drought Tolerant Garden
    Edible Garden
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Drought
    Dry Soil
    Poor Soil