Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Tree
Origin
North America, Canada, Mexico
Southeastern Asia, India, China
Types
Panicum abscissum, Panicum acostia, Panicum amarum
Tropical Fruit Tree
Number of Varieties
3810
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Prairies
Subtropical forests, Tropical Forests
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9 - 1
12-9
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
H1, H2, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
150.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm1,370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Green
Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green, Yellow green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Red, Green, Orange, Blue Green, Gray Green, Bronze
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Tan, Sandy Brown
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Oblong or Lanceolate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Soil Compaction
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Divison, Root Division
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs
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
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Remove dead branches
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
Put diluted fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Chlorosis, Susceptible to insect pests and moulds
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Drought
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Wildlife
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Provides ground cover, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Antibacterial, Antidiabetic, Antifungal, antimicrobial, Astringent, Expectorant
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Bark, Fruits, Leaves
Other Uses
Cattle Fodder, Used as Biofuel
Jam, Jelly, used in Indian cuisine in curries
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
PANICUM virgatum
DILLENIA indica
Common Name
Switchgrass
Chulta, Elephant Apple
In Hindi
Switchgrass
Elephant Apple
In German
Switchgrass
Elefant von Apple
In French
switchgrass
Elephant d'Apple
In Spanish
switchgrass
El elefante de Apple
In Greek
switchgrass
ελέφαντας της Apple
In Portuguese
switchgrass
Elefante da Apple
In Polish
switchgrass
Słoń Jabłko
In Latin
switchgrass
Elephant Apple
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Dilleniales
Family
Poaceae
Dilleniaceae
Genus
Panicum
Dillenia
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Paniceae
-
Subfamily
Panicoideae
-
Number of Species
4501
1
27800
👆🏻