Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Grass
Origin
North America, Canada, Mexico
World/Pandemic, Europe
Types
Panicum abscissum, Panicum acostia, Panicum amarum
-
Number of Varieties
3820
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Prairies
Lake margins, Open areas, Stream side, Wet ground
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-94-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9 - 1
9 - 3
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, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Mat-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
150.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm10.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Green
Pink, White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green
White, Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Red, Green, Orange, Blue Green, Gray Green, Bronze
White, Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Tan, Sandy Brown
Brown
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Wet Site, Pollution, Salt, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Divison, Root Division
Divison
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
Reduce watering in winter, 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
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune in spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Prune to stimulate growth
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
Doesn't require fertilization when grown in rich soil
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
-
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Pollution, Salt, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Wildlife
Bugs
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Ground Cover, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Provides ground cover, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes
Air purification, Food for insects
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Cattle Fodder, Used as Biofuel
Biodiesel
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Container, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
PANICUM virgatum
PHALARIS arundinacea var. picta
Common Name
Switchgrass
Canary Reedgrass, Ribbon Grass
In Hindi
Switchgrass
Ribbon Grass
In German
Switchgrass
rohrglanzgras
In French
switchgrass
roseau
In Spanish
switchgrass
hierba cinta and pasto cinto
In Greek
switchgrass
κορδέλα Grass
In Portuguese
switchgrass
caniço-malhado
In Polish
switchgrass
Wstążka Trawa
In Latin
switchgrass
Ribbon Grass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Cyperales
Family
Poaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Panicum
Phalaris
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Paniceae
-
Subfamily
Panicoideae
-
Number of Species
450200
1
27800
👆🏻