The Purple Ornamental Grass To Grow For A Low-Maintenance Landscape

In addition to being royalty's chosen color in ancient times, purple has long been associated with mystery and imagination. Since it's relatively rare in nature, it's also a nice source of novelty in landscape design. Whether you're seeking a surprising pop of color or a sense of je ne sais quoi in your yard, purple millet (Cenchrus americanus) is just the ticket. Also known as violet pearl millet, this ornamental grass for your landscape is simple to maintain. It has many showy features, from long, narrow leaves to flower spikes that begin as feather-like plumes.

Purple millet is easy to grow since it can endure drought and low-quality soil, including heavy clay soil if it's adequately drained. Though this annual can handle a bit of shade, it prefers at least six hours of direct sunlight each day. With plenty of sun, it grows rapidly, typically reaching a height of 3 to 6 feet. If you live in an area with a short growing season, your plants are likely to be on the shorter side. To maximize growth potential in this situation, start seeds indoors a few weeks before you expect the final frost of spring to arrive.

If the length of your growing season isn't an issue, direct-sow seeds outdoors once the soil tops 70 degrees Fahrenheit. The more light some varieties get, the darker their violet tones become. One such cultivar is 'Purple Majesty,' which can be grown in pots as well as in-ground garden beds. The shorter 'Purple Barron' cultivar also does well in containers. Other compact purple millets include 'Jade Princess' and 'Purple Jester.'

As autumn nears, purple millet's flowers mature into seeds that appeal to finches, sparrows, and towhees. Many birds eat directly from the plants, but you can also gather the seeds and place them in your bird feeder. There are lots of ways to make a bird feeder if you don't have one handy, such as coating a pine cone in peanut butter, rolling it in seeds, and hanging it from a tree.

Pearl millet seeds are a popular crop for human consumption as well, especially in Africa, where the plant originated. In North America, millet is a common ingredient in multigrain breads and health foods such as nondairy probiotic drinks. The seeds are an ancient grain that's loaded with vitamins, protein, fiber, and antioxidants. If you harvest the seeds from your purple millet plants, you can cook them much like rolled oats.

Pearl millet can help other plants thrive when used to improve soil health. In addition to preventing soil diseases when used as a cover crop, it can deter pests such as root-lesion nematodes, which often damage potato plants. This type of millet is also useful for curbing erosion, loosening compressed soil, and crowding out weeds. In other words, it's a functional and beautiful upgrade for many areas of your yard, including landscaped borders and plots for future vegetable gardens.