Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Herbs
Origin
North America, Canada, Mexico
China, Japan, Korea
Types
Panicum abscissum, Panicum acostia, Panicum amarum
-
Number of Varieties
385
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Prairies
gardens, Grassland, Homesteads, Open areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-95-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9 - 1
9-4
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
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
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
150.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Green
Light Yellow, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green
Green, Light Green, Light Yellow, Ivory
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Light Yellow, Ivory
Leaf Color in Fall
Red, Green, Orange, Blue Green, Gray Green, Bronze
Green, Light Yellow, Ivory
Leaf Color in Winter
Tan, Sandy Brown
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Round
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade, Full 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
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Early Spring, Late Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Divison, Root Division
Divison, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
Allow soil to be completely dry in between waterings, Keep ground moist, Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Over-head 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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Poorly Drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
Prune in spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Remove deadheads, Requires very little pruning, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Wet Site
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Bold
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
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Cattle Fodder, Used as Biofuel
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
PANICUM virgatum
PETASITES japonicus 'Variegatus'
Common Name
Switchgrass
Giant Butterbur, Japanese Butterbur, Variegated Butterbur
In Hindi
Switchgrass
variegated butterbur
In German
Switchgrass
bunte Pestwurz
In French
switchgrass
pétasite panachée
In Spanish
switchgrass
butterbur abigarrado
In Greek
switchgrass
διαφοροποιημένα butterbur
In Portuguese
switchgrass
butterbur variegada
In Polish
switchgrass
barwny Lepiężnik
In Latin
switchgrass
varius butterbur
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Liliopsida
-
Order
Cyperales
Asterales
Family
Poaceae
Asteraceae
Genus
Panicum
Petasites
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Paniceae
Senecioneae
Subfamily
Panicoideae
-
Number of Species
45017
1
27800
👆🏻