Mike,
No, I haven't grown it, but noticed purple millet will be an All-American Selection for 2003. Since millet usually requires corn like growing conditions, I suspect water well, good soil, full direct sun.....especially so to develop the purple color. Personally, I wonder if the millet will be a reseeding problem..........providing the birds don't eat it all.

crumpet

The only one I am familiar with is call Purple Majesty. Has a yellow spiked bloom on it. I planted some after seeing it at a trade show. T

There is a black broomcorn, a very tall sorghum, called Black Hungarian Broomcorn which I have grown. I'm not familiar with any black millet.

I grow a variety of sorghums and millets much as I grow sweet corn but with less concern with soil fertility. This year the plantings were devasted by maurauding birds and rodents...the drought left my small farm much like a green oasis in the district.

Mike,

I grew the millet last year after my husband found it being sold at our favorite nursery and had to have it. They were promoting it as a plant for combining with others in large containers, where I'm sure it would add wonderful color and interest. I placed my plant in my mixed perennial, daylily border and loved it. The foliage is purplish and the seed heads are black with purple seeds - a wonderful color contrast to my other perennials. For me, it was about 3' tall, perhaps even a bit less. I found a good picture and am providing a link.

I've seen pictures of the new Purple Majesty and it seems to me to be a larger and taller plant than the plain black millet. Where the Purple Majesy would make a bold statement along the lines of a large ornamental grass or tall canna, I think the black millet is probably better suited for me to grow with my daylilies and other perennials.

Here is a link that might be useful: black millet

DEAR DAYLILY,
YOUR PICTURE OF THE PURPLE MILLET WAS GORGEOUS! WOULD DUSTY MILLER OR LAMBS EARS ALSO GO W/ THE MILLET? GOOD GARDENING TO YOU.K

Just a question:I ordered this black millet from some on line nursery but when it had grown, it's not purple at all. It's kind a black..Why is it?

http://gardensbyolivia.zoovy.com/product/GRASS04

This past year the group working in the Ornamental grasses garden put in Black Millet. Here it is not hardy. What did you need to know?-Sandy

I have heard of a variety called Texas black millet. It has, I understand, been grown as a field crop for milo maize for animals here in Texas. Don't know the nutrition levels, but may be very high. I plan on planting it this spring for my chickens and ducks, maybe for us to eat, also. Also called Texas black milo. Same thing. Blessings. Maybe it is decorative, too. Double purpose!