Panicum virgatum
Switchgrass
Please register or login to build your personal plant list.Switchgrass is a clumping ornamental grass, which may naturalize by rhizomes and through self-seeding. Pink-tinged flowers display from July...
Description:
Switchgrass is a clumping ornamental grass, which may naturalize by rhizomes and through self-seeding. Pink-tinged flowers display from July through February, turning beige in mid- to late summer. The seeds are a good food source for birds. Switchgrass is a host plant for butterfly and moth larvae (caterpillars), including Delaware Skipper (Anatrytone logan) and Dotted Skipper (Hesperia attalus), as well as most banded skippers and satyrs. Cut it back to the ground in late winter-early spring. Plant Switchgrass in masses to use as a screen or in naturalized areas of your yard. Use cut stems and seed heads as an accent in fresh or dried flower arrangements.
Plant Details:
Plant Type: Grass
New Jersey Native: Yes
Bloom Times: Summer, Late Summer to Fall, Winter
Bloom Colors: Pink
Deer Resistance: High
Attracts Pollinators and Wildlife: Butterflies, Birds
Salt Tolerance: Medium
Hardiness Zone: 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
Physiographic Region: All Regions in NJ
Grows in Special Ecoregions: Barrier Island/Coastal, Pinelands
Soil Characteristics
Soil Type: Loam, Organic, Sandy, Clay
Soil Moisture: Dry, Moist, Wet
Soil pH: Acidic, Slightly Acidic, Neutral, Slightly Alkaline, Alkaline
Light Needs of Plant
Optimal Light: Full Sun
Light Range: Full Sun, Partial Shade
Water Needs of Plant
Soil Moisture: Dry, Moist, Wet
Drought Tolerance: Medium
Size and Growth Rate
Height: 1 - 5 ft
Spread: 1 - 5 ft
Growth Rate: Fast