Panicum virgatum
Switchgrass
Photo: Warren Gretz, DOE/NREL · Public Domain · Source
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Description
Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is a tall prairie grass native to North America. It provides vertical structure and movement to perennial beds with its airy, panicle-like inflorescences from August to October. The narrow, blue‑green leaves turn bright yellow to copper‑red in autumn and remain an attractive winter focal point. Growing 1–2 m tall, it is well suited as a solitary specimen or in loose groups along a garden edge. It is non‑poisonous and safe for gardens with children and pets.
Care instructions
Switchgrass prefers a sunny location and well‑drained, not overly fertile soil; it struggles on heavy, water‑logged soils. Water only regularly during the growing season; thereafter it copes well with natural rainfall and is highly drought tolerant. Cut dead stems only in late winter, around the end of February to early March (week 8–10), close to the ground so that new growth can start unimpeded in spring. Fertilization is generally unnecessary; excess nutrients can lead to weak, bending stems. Every three to four years, the clump can be divided in spring when the center begins to die back.
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
well-drained, sandy, lean, dry
Feeding
Light feeder
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