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Grass LikeAnnual Biennial

Pennisetum glaucum 'Purple Baron'

pearl millet 'Purple Baron'

Fast-growing annual grass about 1.5m tall, forming a large clump of broadly strap-shaped, dark green leaves maturing to dark mahogany-purple in summer. Stout, upright, tan to gold bottlebrush-like flower panicles produced on leafy stems in summer, followed by shiny purple seedheads, the seeds are very attractive to birds

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Ultimate height

1–1.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

1 year

Ultimate spread

1–1.5 metres

Chalk

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Alkaline, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure

Sheltered

Drought resistance

Yes

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Poaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming
Genus: Pennisetum can be annual or perennial, evergreen or deciduous grasses, clump-forming or spreading in habit, with linear leaves and narrow flowering panicles with conspicuous bristles
Name status: Unresolved

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in a light, moderately fertile, well-drained soil, planting out in spring when the frosts have passed. See ornamental grasses cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown in containers in a warm glasshouse in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Coastal
Cottage and informal garden
Gravel garden
Mediterranean climate plants
Patio and container plants
Wildlife gardens
Bedding
Conservatory and greenhouse
Cut flowers
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Treat as an annual and remove dead foliage and old flowered stems as plants fade

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free

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