'Purple Majesty' Millet

Who else gave in to this one? Do y'all know what we just ordered seeds for?

It's a beauty! I believe I saw it in Pinetree Seeds Cataloge.

Saw it in real at Disney's "The Land": spectacular!

I ordered it. I think it's gonna be a good one. There's a little blurb about here http://ard.unl.edu/rn/0902/notebook.html

Millet...

Yes, it is Millet and the birds love to eat it. Beautiful Millet at that,it is a gotta have.

this is the burgundy-coloured one???? Last yr, I found two pots of this at the grocery store...very pretty when mature! nice in containers..Elaine

i saw it last fall on ebay-never did get any!

(the non-ornamental kind) a very commonly grown plant...

I too purchased the seed. Am looking forward to this one. It should be easy to gather seed from...anyone know about this? Not a hybrid is it?

I grow the regular millet,hope it grows as easy......cause I'm ordering it too

Okay, I was going to order this also. Does Pinetree have it? I couldn't find it. Where are you guys getting it from? Kristi

Yes I'm getting it too. Just couldn't resist. I've grown the regular millet also. I think it is in every seed catalogue I have this year. Planning on putting some in the garden & some in big pots for the birds. I read that it has to be in full sun to get the purple colour.

I got my seeds from Pinetree today, and my millet is backordered!!! *sob sob* Yes, they have it too. Park offers it as well; it is an AAS selection for the year, so it should be widely offered.

Almost everyone in US grows millet...

Okay, I went ahead and added it to the PDB here: http://plantsdatabase.com/go/54760/ and we wanna hear all about it including lots of photos :)

Burpee seed has it http://www.burpee.com/shopping/prod_detail/main.asp?uid=69A1EFE1-8290-41E7-B305-4A54CCAB0EEA-25461921&search=millet&stype=All&sl=1&productID=2702&catID=1934&page=1&pos=undefined

It was a new release of Ball Seed last year. You are going to see it everywhere, they were really pushing it and it was the most interesting new thing that they had. I saw it in the test garden in Chicago last summer. It's one of those plants that you will either love or hate.

They had it planted in clusters, as a backdrop. Also, it was shown planted in the center of a circular garden.

It's big, and it's bold and it's different. I was not crazy about it but most of the people were drooling over it :).

Here is the information that I have on it:

Millet, Ornamental
Pennisetum glaucum
Crop Time: 7 to 8 weeks
Striking cornlike plant with deep purple foliage, stems and flower plumes. 'Purple Majesty" grows 4 to 5 ft. tall, with cattail-like flower plumes 12 to 14 in. long. Young plants are green. The stem and mid-rib of the foliage first turn purple after about eight leaves have developed. The foliage will turn dark purple when the plants are moved from the greenhouse outside into full sun.

Guess which plant won the "most prestigious of all the All-America Selections" (AAS) Gold Medal??? You guessed correctly! It was the ornamental Millet, "Purple Majesty"!!! According to the write-up in The Avant Gardener Newsletter, "this Annual grass grows 3-5ft. tall, with deep purple leaves and 8-12 in. shiny purple fower spikes, which provide many seeds for the birds".

Thanks for adding it, Go_Vols :) Since I haven't actually gotten the seeds yet, I didn't do it. Shame on me.

You will be happy to hear that I got an e-mail from a non-subscribing member here who told me she bought the seeds and PLANTED them already (she lives in Los Angeles).

Sobbing with jealousy for her growing climate (not really -- sobbing with jealousy for Roadrunner's growing climate!)

I also saw this growing at an AAS test garden last summer and although it wasn't ID'd, as soon as I saw it in a catalogue, I knew what it was! No, I didn't take a photo of it, since I had no clue what it was. I will when I actually get my seeds, plant them, and grow them. And the new DG member said she also would post photos when her plants are growing well.

I ordered it too looks like I am in good company. I haven't got my seeds yet either. But surely out of all the ones posted somebody will have pictures to add to the database this summer.

I first saw this in a gardening magazine dated Jan 2002.

it is beautiful and I am sure the birds wil love it.

It is on my order list too from Pinetree and Territorial
Seeds also lists it.

Love, Lav

I ordered it also from Johnny's. When I saw the pix I had to have it.

Paul

My seeds came today! Oh joy! Now, can I restrain myself and not plant it too soon?

Does anyone know which vendor
is offering the most seeds
for the best price?

Pinetree offers the best deals, usually, on veggies. They don't put a lot of seeds in each packet, but who needs 100 of the same tomato variety? Or broccoli?

I agree, that is one reason why I like them.

Have had very good luck with them too.

Pinetree is a dollar less than Burpee for the same amount of seeds. I'd like to get some, too :)

Most of the time, big named companies, such as Burpee, have high overhead costs, such as marketing, advertising, promotions, etc., etc., etc. Those costs are naturally passed on to the consumer. If one does their homework, and does a simple cost comparison, you'll save yourself a lot of $$$.

Park Seed also is offering these seeds: 15 seeds for $3.95. Works out the same price per seed as Pinetree, who has 10 seeds for $2.95 (Got my 4th Park Seed catalogue in the mail yesterday! All have different covers, but are the same inside. Curiouser and curiouser

Those are good prices.. Johnnys wants $4.20 for 10 seeds.

Paul

My Park seeds (purple millet) arrived today. I counted the seeds that were in the packet, suppose to be 15. There were 24 seeds. I'm happy about that.
Pine Tree only sent 10.

IMHO, Burpee is not what it used to bem, and it is less and less appealing to me.

Hunh, I still havent gotten ONE stinkin catalog form Park's and I am a longtime customer. They did already send Wayside
though, and Wayside and Parks are owned by the same people.

Here is what the Territorial Seeds catalog says:

ORNAMENTAL GRASSES AND WHEAT
FL3020 PURPLE MAJESTY

Pennisetum glaucum 1 2 (A) (F1) This unique millet grows 3-5 feet tall and is crowned with 8-12 inch purple flower spikes. The immature spikes of this purple-leaved plant add drama to floral arrangements. If left to mature, the millet seed spike will attract birds. Very easy to grow and tolerant of heat and low moisture levels.
An AAS Gold Medal winner.
Approximately 120 seeds per gram. Germination code: (1)
or (4) 15 seeds $4.75

Is there any way we can do a bulk order and all save less? Or, is that just not possible with this one? I sure wish it was!

Datdog, you got seeds from both places? You must surely want this! I haven't opened my seed pack; I just know that if I do I will plant them. Way too early. I probably will start them in March, or even direct-sow them in April.

When will y'all plant yours? Early? Direct? Help me make up my mind. I have almost run out of room for seedlings, going to have even less room in March... Already bought 3 new light fixtures, can't hardly walk in either of the plant rooms, got plants on shelves, got plants on the floor, got plants hanging from hooks, I am living in a jungle! But it sure makes the winter easier to bear.

I wondered if these could be winter sown?? Seems like most of the grasses do well that way. Maybe I'll try it with a couple of the seeds and see how it turns out.

Patience, Lupieluv, PATIENCE.

And I just got an idea of someone (company) who may sell them in bulk. Lemme go check the catalog and I'll get back with ya this evening!

In my opinion, "15 seeds $4.75" seems a bit steep for purple colored grass! Pay about the same amount and get 2 packages through Pinetree.

Yes, I did order from both places. I wanted this last year, then forgot I wanted it when I placed my seed order a couple of months ago, LOL... I want to do a mass planting of this.
I'm going to start it early inside under lights. Most likely March. I'm out of room already and haven't even touched my annuals or veggies. I need a greenhouse!! I'm going to have to start a GH fund. Kristi

Oh, Lavanda, I've got my fingers crossed & toes, too!

Okay, a dumb question: is this a hybrid, or will it come true from seed in ensuing years? (I don't mind paying a steep price ONCE; I'm not sure I'd want to pay it every year.

1707 Millet Purple Majesty F1 hybrid.

Latin Name: Pennisetum glaucum (4 ft/1.2 m) Deep purple foliage with “cat tail” or “bull rush” seed spikes 12 in/30 cm long. Each plant has about 3 main stems with some side shoots. Prefers full sun. Crop time 10-14 weeks. Young plants are green. Sunlight induces purple color.

Unit 10 Seeds 100 Seeds 250 Seeds 1M 5M per M
Price 3.40 22.85 48.35 158.17 158.17

Ornamental Millet/pennisetum glaucum
4 1/2in/1.2cm annual Approx. 32,000 seeds per oz/28gr

A striking deep purple foliage plant with 12-14in/30-35cm purple stems and cat-tail like seed spikes. Ideal for tall borders, mass plantings and as a landscape backdrop. Each plant has 1-3 main stems and a few secondary shoots, each 2ft/60cm tall. Plants like full sun if possible. Young plants are green, but foliage turns dark purple outside, in full sun, for sale or transplanting. Because plants may be green when sold-a color picture label is recommended to help consumers understand what the plant looks like after it is planted in the garden. If seed pods are to be harvested for
cut flower arrangements-cut them as they mature, or the birds will destroy them (for food) as they over mature. This is a warm-season crop. High temps result in faster growth and taller plants. Keep light levels high (not shaded) for stronger, thicker stems. Plants change color from green to purple after 8 leaves have developed.

Outdoor temps below 60°F/16°C will stop plant growth.

CULTURE: Allow 10-14 weeks crop time for gallon containers or 5-6 weeks for 8in/20cm pots. If plants become root bound or set seed spikes prematurely in containers before sale-plants will mature at this shorter height. Sow about Feb. 15-Mar. 1st directly into 6-8in/15-20cm pots. Germinate @ 72-78°F/22-26°C for 3-5 days. Use well drained soil or medium with a pH of 5.5-6.3, cover seed lightly. Soil temps below 68°F/20°C will significantly delay germination. Keep soil moist until seed germinates-then reduce moisture level. Do not let seedlings wilt!

68-74°F/20-23°C days. Feed plants weekly with 150-200 ppm N in a complete fertilizer. Growth regulators are not recommended at this time and pinching is not necessary.

Over-mature seed spikes will attract birds in early Sept. Plants are very tolerant to heat and low moisture conditions.

A shipping and handling charge of $3.95 applies to all orders under $100.00

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