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About Elephant Grass and Switchgrass


About Switchgrass and Elephant Grass


What is

Life Span
Perennial  
Perennial  

Type
Grass  
Grass  

Origin
Middle Africa  
North America, Canada, Mexico  

Types
Perennial Grass  
Panicum abscissum, Panicum acostia, Panicum amarum  

Number of Varieties
15  
99+
38  
99+

Habitat
Floodplains, Forest margins, Tropical regions, waterways, Wet lands, Woodlands  
Prairies  

USDA Hardiness Zone
7-11  
4-9  

AHS Heat Zone
12 - 1  
9 - 1  

Sunset Zone
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 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
Clump-Forming  
Upright/Erect  

Information

Plant Size
  
  

Minimum Height
120.00 cm  
99+
150.00 cm  
99+

Minimum Width
120.00 cm  
99+
90.00 cm  
99+

Plant Color
  
  

Flower Color
Sandy Brown  
Green  

Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor  
Bicolor  

Fruit Color
-  
-  

Leaf Color in Spring
Purple  
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green  

Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green  
Light Green  

Leaf Color in Fall
Purple  
Red, Green, Orange, Blue Green, Gray Green, Bronze  

Leaf Color in Winter
Purple  
Tan, Sandy Brown  

Shape
  
  

Leaf Shape
Long Linear  
Grass like  

Thorns
No  
No  

Season

Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter  
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter  

Growing Conditions
  
  

Sunlight
Full Sun  
Full Sun, Partial Sun  

Growth Rate
Very Fast  
Fast  

Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand  
Clay, Loam, Sand  

The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline  
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline  

Soil Drainage
Well drained  
Average  

Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer  
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer  

Repeat Bloomer
No  
No  

Tolerances
Cold climate, Drought, Salt  
Pollution, Soil Compaction  

Care

Where to Plant?
Ground  
Ground  

How to Plant?
Budding, Seedlings  
Divison, Root Division  

Plant Maintenance
Low  
Medium  

Watering Plants
  
  

Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering, Water more in summer  
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
Acidic, 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
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts  
Prune in spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads  

Fertilizers
Nitrogen, organic fertlizers  
Nitrogen  

Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch  
Red blotch  

Plant Tolerance
Cold climate, Drought, Salt  
Pollution, Soil Compaction  

Facts

Flowers
Showy  
Yes  

Flower Petal Number
Single  
Single  

Fruits
  
  

Showy Fruit
No  
Yes  

Edible Fruit
No  
No  

Fragrance
  
  

Fragrant Flower
No  
No  

Fragrant Fruit
No  
No  

Fragrant Leaf
No  
No  

Fragrant Bark/Stem
No  
No  

Showy Foliage
Yes  
Yes  

Showy Bark
No  
No  

Foliage Texture
Fine  
Fine  

Foliage Sheen
Glossy  
Matte  

Evergreen
No  
No  

Invasive
Yes  
No  

Self-Sowing
Yes  
Yes  

Attracts
Birds, Flying insects  
Birds, Wildlife  

Allergy
Asthma, breathing problems  
-  

Benefits

Uses
  
  

Aesthetic Uses
-  
Showy Purposes  

Beauty Benefits
-  
-  

Edible Uses
Yes  
Insignificant  

Environmental Uses
Air purification, Amazing growth rate, Food for animals, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shelter for wildlife, Wildlife, Windbreak  
Air purification, Provides ground cover, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes  

Plant Benefits
  
  

Medicinal Uses
Eye Problems, Headache, Skin Disorders, Wounds  
-  

Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Seeds  
Leaves  

Other Uses
Food for animals, Used As Food  
Cattle Fodder, Used as Biofuel  

Used As Indoor Plant
No  
No  

Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes  
Yes  

Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border  
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border  

Scientific Name

Botanical Name
PENNISETUM purpureum 'Prince'  
PANICUM virgatum  

Common Name
Elephant Grass  
Switchgrass  

In Hindi
हाथी घास  
Switchgrass  

In German
Elefantengras  
Switchgrass  

In French
l'herbe à éléphant  
switchgrass  

In Spanish
pasto elefante  
switchgrass  

In Greek
ελέφαντα χόρτο  
switchgrass  

In Portuguese
capim-elefante  
switchgrass  

In Polish
trawa słoniowa  
switchgrass  

In Latin
elephanti herba  
switchgrass  

Classification

Kingdom
Plantae  
Plantae  

Phylum
Magnoliophyta  
Magnoliophyta  

Class
Liliopsida  
Liliopsida  

Order
Poales  
Cyperales  

Family
Poaceae  
Poaceae  

Genus
Pennisetum  
Panicum  

Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots  
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots  

Tribe
Paniceae  
Paniceae  

Subfamily
Panicoideae  
Panicoideae  

Number of Species
1  
450  
99+

Summary >>
<< Classification

Properties of Elephant Grass and Switchgrass

Wondering what are the properties of Elephant Grass and Switchgrass? We provide you with everything About Elephant Grass and Switchgrass. Elephant Grass doesn't have thorns and Switchgrass doesn't have thorns. Also Elephant Grass does not have fragrant flowers. Elephant Grass has allergic reactions like Asthma and breathing problems and Switchgrass has allergic reactions like Asthma and breathing problems. Compare all the properties and characteristics of these two plants. Find out which of these plant can be used as indoor plant. If you are interested to decorate your house and garden, find out aesthetic uses, compare them and select the plant which will beautify your surrounding. Along with beautification, try comparing medicinal and edible uses of Elephant Grass and Switchgrass and you can choose the plant having best and most benefits.

Compare Grass Plants

Season and Care of Elephant Grass and Switchgrass

Season and care of Elephant Grass and Switchgrass is important to know. While considering everything about Elephant Grass and Switchgrass Care, growing season is an essential factor. Elephant Grass season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and Switchgrass season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The type of soil for Elephant Grass is Clay, Loam, Sand and for Switchgrass is Clay, Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Elephant Grass is Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline and for Switchgrass is Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline.

Elephant Grass and Switchgrass Physical Information

Elephant Grass and Switchgrass physical information is very important for comparison. Elephant Grass height is 120.00 cm and width 120.00 cm whereas Switchgrass height is 150.00 cm and width 90.00 cm. The color specification of Elephant Grass and Switchgrass are as follows:

Care of Elephant Grass and Switchgrass

Care of Elephant Grass and Switchgrass include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Elephant Grass pruning is done Remove dead leaves and Remove dead or diseased plant parts and Switchgrass pruning is done Prune in spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts and Remove deadheads. In summer Elephant Grass needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Switchgrass needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.

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