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Pennisetum glaucum Purple Majesty

Pennisetum glaucum Purple Majesty
Pearl millet, Cattail millet, Bulrush millet

3,6/5
3 reviews
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1 reviews

Like the others, nothing, no germination.

FABRICE, 20/06/2019

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This plant carries a 6 months recovery warranty

More information

A tall annual grass that turns dark purple, almost black, in the sun. The young shoots, bright green with red veins, darken as the season progresses.
Flower size
20 cm
Height at maturity
1.50 m
Exposure
Sun
Annual / Perennial
Annual
Germination time (days)
10 days
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Sowing period March to May
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Flowering time July to September
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Description

The Pennisetum Glaucum 'Purple Majesty' or pearl millet is a tall annual grass that becomes dark purple, almost black, in the sun. The young, bright green shoots with red veins darken as the season progresses.

The Pennisetum Glaucum is an herbaceous annual belonging to the Poaceae family - formerly known as grasses - cultivated in the Sahel, India, or Pakistan to be consumed as a staple food. The seeds produced are also called little millet in contrast to the great millet: sorghum. It is the most cultivated variety in the world and dominates where no other cereal crop grows.

Its clump is very compact. The foliage is upright and, when young, is tinged with bright green and red veins. The long, narrow, ribbon-like leaves darken gradually until they become entirely dark purple, almost black. The Pennisetum Glaucum 'Purple Majesty' is a tall variety that reaches a height of 1.50 to 2 m (5 to 7ft) in one season. The flower head is a long paniculate or false spike of 20 cm (8in) called a candle, with beige-pink glumes in summer and tiny white, grey, or yellow seeds resembling sweetmeat pearls, which earned it one of its nicknames.

It will offer you the most beautiful spikes and its most beautiful silhouette in dry, sandy, and poor soil in a hot and dry situation. Under these conditions, it will also show you its prettiest purple because its colour directly depends on the intensity of light it receives. Play with contrasts by associating it with plants with grey or blue leaves, such as Lygeum spartum, or match it with flowers in fresh colours that have the same inclinations for heat and drought, such as Sedum Frosty Morn with its sorbet colours or Pennisetum macrourum with its pinkish plumes. Its structuring aspect should be considered, whether alone or in a mass. In a small garden, it can serve as a hedge: you will enjoy its height without worrying about excessive width. As a plant with a notable architectural shape, it can easily create clear boundaries between different garden areas. Additionally, this Pennisetum has the advantage of controlling soil erosion thanks to its root system.

You can easily collect the seeds of this tall annual to reproduce your sowings the following year. Collect them before the first frosts, as they do not withstand them. However, you can keep one or more of these beautiful purple spikes as ornaments for the winter. Moreover, you will make birds happy.

Flowering

Flower colour white
Flowering time July to September
Inflorescence Spike
Flower size 20 cm
Bee-friendly Attracts pollinators
Good for cut flowers Cut flower blooms

Foliage

Foliage persistence Annual
Foliage colour black

Plant habit

Height at maturity 1.50 m
Spread at maturity 60 cm
Growth rate normal

Botanical data

Genus

Pennisetum

Species

glaucum

Cultivar

Purple Majesty

Family

Poaceae

Other common names

Pearl millet, Cattail millet, Bulrush millet

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Product reference14571

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Planting and care

Sow the seeds indoors from February to April on the surface, burying them under 3 to 4 cm (1 to 2in) of a good seed-specific compost that you keep moist but not excessive. Cover the seeds with a pinch of vermiculite and maintain a constant temperature of 20 to 25°C (68 to 77°F). It will take 3 to 10 days before the young shoots appear. Do not exclude light as it aids germination; when they are large enough to handle, transplant them into larger pots (e.g. 10 cm (4in) in diameter). Gradually acclimatise them to cooler conditions for a few weeks. Once all risk of frost has passed and the soil is sufficiently warmed, you can plant them in well-worked soil, taking care to space each plant 45 to 55 cm (18 to 22in) apart. If your soil tends to be heavy and compact, add medium-sized gravel or sand to make it more draining.

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€14.50 Each

Sowing period

Sowing period March to May
Germination time (days) 10 days

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow, Rockery
Type of use Border, Back of border, Container
Ease of cultivation Amateur
Exposure Sun
Soil pH Any
Soil moisture Dry soil, Draining, rich
3,6/5
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Available in 3 sizes

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