Switchgrass

Scientific name

Panicum vigratum

Description

Switch Grass is a perennial, ornamental grass species that typically grows about 1.5 m in height. This plant may also be known by the common name Panic Grass. The leaves are blueish green, flat and erect, change yellow in the fall, change tan in the winter, and appear in basal clumps. The flowers are airy panicles with purplish pink tinges, appear on wide spreading spikelets off tall flower stems, and bloom between August and September. Switch Grass is easy to grow and is low maintenance. This plant spreads well and can form small colonies. The roots can be useful for controlling erosion and stabilizing shorelines. The seeds are also beneficial to wildlife species, like birds and small mammals.

Planting conditions

Switch Grass grows best in moist to wet conditions with full or partial sun exposure. It grows well in a variety of soil types, including loam, sand, clay, and rock. It is tolerant of periodically flooded areas, dry areas, drought, steep slopes, salt, alkalinity, and air pollution. This grass can be naturally found in prairies, open forests, roadsides, around marshes or swamps, and along river or lake shorelines.

Details

• Plant height:
  • Max 1.5m
  • Max 2m
  • Max 3m
  • Any
• Moisture level:
  • Dry
  • Normal
  • Moist
  • Wet
  • Drought Tolerant
  • Flood Tolerant
• Light conditions:
  • Full sun
  • Partial sun
• Soil type:
  • Sandy
  • Loamy
  • Clay
  • Rocky
• pH:
  • Basic
  • Normal
• Depth:
  • Potted
• Eco Zone:
  • 5a
  • 5b
  • 6a
  • 6b
  • 7a
• Height:
  • 1.5 m
• Spread:
  • 2 m