Switchgrass
A major prairie grass, Switchgrass is a handsome garden plant that lends a golden color to the autumn landscape. Panicum virgatum has an upright growth and produces a lovely cloud of airy seed heads in the fall. Easily grown in a variety of conditions, it tolerates …
| Soil Type | Clay, Loam, Sand |
|---|---|
| Soil Moisture | Dry, Medium, Moist |
| Sun Exposure | Full Sun |
| Height | 3' - 6' |
| Bloom Color | Green, Cream |
| Bloom Time | Aug, Sep |
| Spacing | 2' |
| Hardiness Zones | 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 |
| Root Type | Fibrous |
| Benefits | Birds, Host Plant, Deer Resistant |
| Seeds per Oz | 18000 |
| Propagation Treatment | Moist Stratification |
| Days to Moist Stratify | 30 days |
| Direct Sowing Time | Spring, Early Summer |
Switchgrass is an important prairie grass and a handsome landscaping plant as well, lending a golden color to the autumn landscape. The strong upright growth produces a lovely cloud of airy seed heads in the fall. Easily grown in a variety of conditions, it tolerates both clay and sandy soils. It grows taller on fertile and clay soils, frequently reaching five or six feet. On dry sandy soils the height is more likely to be at the lower end of its range. A stand of Switchgrass creates valuable habitat, providing food and shelter for birds and other wildlife. Great for planting in meadows and naturalized landscapes, the rigid stems stand up well in winter.
The Delaware Skipper (Anatrytone logan), Arogos Skipper (Atrytone arogos), and the Dakota skipper (Hesperia dacotae) all use Switchgrass as a host plant.
