Pennisetum glaucum or the pearl millet has been a staple food source for the inhabitants of parts of Africa for centuries. The main crop is harvested from areas which are near bodies of water like lakes, rivers and streams. The nutritional value and medicinal value of this type of grain are very high with very few nutrients lacking in it. Pearl millet has high protein, iron and mineral contents which are why it is a popular breakfast food.
One of the most important places to grow this type of ornamental plants is at the eastern border of the Serengeti Plains. It was traditionally cultivated on the grasses of the plains but in recent times has been cultivated on ornamental grasses as well as on the non-grass plantings. The majority of the cultivated plants are found to be tall and upright with dark green leaves and red fruit surface. There are no known ornamental plants of p Dennisetum glaucum native to Africa. It is considered by many people that the pearl millet is among the finest varieties of grasses available today. This has made it a very popular ornamental plant for many African countries including Mozambique, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Swaziland and Tanzania.
Pennisetum glaucum was traditionally used to support the health of pregnant women who were undergoing childbirth. The young women would chew on the spikes during the early parts of the pregnancy as it helped them in the process of lactation by increasing the flow of milk to the breasts. It was also used in the process of discharging the colostrum to prevent the fetus from being choked. It was used as an antidote to poisonous snakes. Pennisetum millets also contain vitamins A, B and C and iron. Though there is no medicinal value of the plant by itself, it has been proven effective as a natural remedy for treating diarrhea, dysentery, indigestion, bronchitis, asthma, rheumatism, snakebite and cancer.