Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Ornamental Grasses and Bamboo
Origin
North America, Canada, Mexico
Southern Europe, Western Europe, Mediterranean
Types
Panicum abscissum, Panicum acostia, Panicum amarum
-
Number of Varieties
3810
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Prairies
Desert, Dry areas, Dry Forest, Rocky areas
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
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
Habit
Upright/Erect
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
150.00 cm45.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm60.96 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Green
Blue Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green
Blue Green, Silver, Gray
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Red, Green, Orange, Blue Green, Gray Green, Bronze
Blue Green, Silver, Gray
Leaf Color in Winter
Tan, Sandy Brown
Blue Green, Tan, Silver, Gray
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Divison, Root Division
Rooted stem cutting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs, occasional watering once established, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Prune in spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch Tips, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Salt
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
Birds, Wildlife
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
Asthma, Itchiness, Rash, Rhinitis
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Provides ground cover, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Stem
Other Uses
Cattle Fodder, Used as Biofuel
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Container, Edging, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
PANICUM virgatum
HELICTOTRICHON sempervirens
Common Name
Switchgrass
Blue Oat Grass
In Hindi
Switchgrass
ब्लू जई घास
In German
Switchgrass
Blau Ährengras
In French
switchgrass
Bleu Oat Grass
In Spanish
switchgrass
Azul hierba de avena
In Greek
switchgrass
Μπλε βρώμης Grass
In Portuguese
switchgrass
Azul Aveia
In Polish
switchgrass
Niebieski Owies trawa
In Latin
switchgrass
Blue Oat Grass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Poales
Family
Poaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Panicum
Helictotrichon
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Paniceae
Aveneae
Subfamily
Panicoideae
Pooideae
Number of Species
45070
1
27800
👆🏻