Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Ornamental Grasses and Bamboo
Grass
Origin
Southern Europe, Western Europe, Mediterranean
North America, Canada, Mexico
Types
-
Panicum abscissum, Panicum acostia, Panicum amarum
Number of Varieties
1038
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Dry areas, Dry Forest, Rocky areas
Prairies
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-94-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9 - 1
9 - 1
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
45.00 cm150.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.96 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Blue Green
Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Blue Green, Silver, Gray
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Blue Green, Silver, Gray
Red, Green, Orange, Blue Green, Gray Green, Bronze
Leaf Color in Winter
Blue Green, Tan, Silver, Gray
Tan, Sandy Brown
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Salt
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Rooted stem cutting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Divison, Root Division
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, occasional watering once established, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch Tips, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune in spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Salt
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Birds, Wildlife
Allergy
Asthma, Itchiness, Rash, Rhinitis
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Ground Cover
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Provides ground cover, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Stem
Leaves
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Cattle Fodder, Used as Biofuel
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edging, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
HELICTOTRICHON sempervirens
PANICUM virgatum
Common Name
Blue Oat Grass
Switchgrass
In Hindi
ब्लू जई घास
Switchgrass
In German
Blau Ährengras
Switchgrass
In French
Bleu Oat Grass
switchgrass
In Spanish
Azul hierba de avena
switchgrass
In Greek
Μπλε βρώμης Grass
switchgrass
In Portuguese
Azul Aveia
switchgrass
In Polish
Niebieski Owies trawa
switchgrass
In Latin
Blue Oat Grass
switchgrass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Poales
Cyperales
Family
Poaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Helictotrichon
Panicum
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Aveneae
Paniceae
Subfamily
Pooideae
Panicoideae
Number of Species
70450
1
27800
👆🏻