Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Grass
Origin
North America, Canada, Mexico
Middle Africa
Types
Panicum abscissum, Panicum acostia, Panicum amarum
Perennial Grass
Number of Varieties
3815
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Prairies
Floodplains, Forest margins, Tropical regions, waterways, Wet lands, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-97-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9 - 1
12 - 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
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
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
150.00 cm120.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Green
Sandy Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green
Purple
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Red, Green, Orange, Blue Green, Gray Green, Bronze
Purple
Leaf Color in Winter
Tan, Sandy Brown
Purple
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Cold climate, Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Divison, Root Division
Budding, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
Requires regular watering, Water more in summer
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
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Prune in spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
Nitrogen, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Insects, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Cold climate, Drought, 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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Wildlife
Birds, Flying insects
Allergy
-
Asthma, breathing problems
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Provides ground cover, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes
Air purification, Amazing growth rate, Food for animals, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shelter for wildlife, Wildlife, Windbreak
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Eye Problems, Headache, Skin Disorders, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Cattle Fodder, Used as Biofuel
Food for animals, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Bedding Plant, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
PANICUM virgatum
PENNISETUM purpureum 'Prince'
Common Name
Switchgrass
Elephant Grass
In Hindi
Switchgrass
हाथी घास
In German
Switchgrass
Elefantengras
In French
switchgrass
l'herbe à éléphant
In Spanish
switchgrass
pasto elefante
In Greek
switchgrass
ελέφαντα χόρτο
In Portuguese
switchgrass
capim-elefante
In Polish
switchgrass
trawa słoniowa
In Latin
switchgrass
elephanti herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Poales
Family
Poaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Panicum
Pennisetum
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Paniceae
Paniceae
Subfamily
Panicoideae
Panicoideae
Number of Species
4501
1
27800
👆🏻