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Compare Giant Reed and Switchgrass


Switchgrass and Giant Reed


What is

Life Span
Perennial  
Perennial  

Type
Grass  
Grass  

Origin
Southern Europe  
North America, Canada, Mexico  

Types
Arundo, Carrizo  
Panicum abscissum, Panicum acostia, Panicum amarum  

Number of Varieties
5  
38  
99+

Habitat
Saline Soils, Sandy areas  
Prairies  

USDA Hardiness Zone
6-10  
4-9  

AHS Heat Zone
12 - 1  
9 - 1  

Sunset Zone
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24  
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23  

Habit
Upright/Erect  
Upright/Erect  

Information

Plant Size
  
  

Minimum Height
18.00 cm  
99+
150.00 cm  
99+

Minimum Width
150.00 cm  
99+
90.00 cm  
99+

Plant Color
  
  

Flower Color
-  
Green  

Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor  
Bicolor  

Fruit Color
-  
-  

Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green  
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green  

Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green  
Light Green  

Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green  
Red, Green, Orange, Blue Green, Gray Green, Bronze  

Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Gray Green  
Tan, Sandy Brown  

Shape
  
  

Leaf Shape
Linear  
Grass like  

Thorns
Yes  
No  

Season

Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter  
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter  

Growing Conditions
  
  

Sunlight
Full Sun  
Full Sun, Partial Sun  

Growth Rate
Very 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
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall  
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer  

Repeat Bloomer
No  
No  

Tolerances
Wet Site, Drought, Salt  
Pollution, Soil Compaction  

Care

Where to Plant?
Ground  
Ground  

How to Plant?
From Rhizomes, Stem Planting  
Divison, Root Division  

Plant Maintenance
Medium  
Medium  

Watering Plants
  
  

Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering  
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, 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  
Full Sun, Partial Sun  

Pruning
Do not prune during shooting season, Prune after harvesting, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves  
Prune in spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads  

Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize in early spring  
Nitrogen  

Pests and Diseases
-  
Red blotch  

Plant Tolerance
Drought  
Pollution, Soil Compaction  

Facts

Flowers
Showy  
Yes  

Flower Petal Number
Single  
Single  

Fruits
  
  

Showy Fruit
No  
Yes  

Edible Fruit
No  
No  

Fragrance
  
  

Fragrant Flower
No  
No  

Fragrant Fruit
No  
No  

Fragrant Leaf
No  
No  

Fragrant Bark/Stem
No  
No  

Showy Foliage
Yes  
Yes  

Showy Bark
No  
No  

Foliage Texture
Bold  
Fine  

Foliage Sheen
Matte  
Matte  

Evergreen
No  
No  

Invasive
Sometimes  
No  

Self-Sowing
Yes  
Yes  

Attracts
Bees, Birds, Hummingbirds  
Birds, Wildlife  

Allergy
allergic conjunctivitis, flushing of face, wheezing  
-  

Benefits

Uses
  
  

Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bonsai  
Showy Purposes  

Beauty Benefits
Making cosmetics, Skin cleanser  
-  

Edible Uses
Sometimes  
Insignificant  

Environmental Uses
Agroforestry, Air purification, Nesting sites for birds, No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shadow Tree, soil stabilisation  
Air purification, Provides ground cover, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes  

Plant Benefits
  
  

Medicinal Uses
Diaphoretic, Diuretic, Emmoiliant  
-  

Part of Plant Used
Bark, Sap  
Leaves  

Other Uses
Basketary, Showy Purposes, Used in making musical instruments, Wood is used in construction  
Cattle Fodder, Used as Biofuel  

Used As Indoor Plant
Sometimes  
No  

Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes  
Yes  

Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Dried Flower/Everlasting, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical, Water Gardens  
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border  

Scientific Name

Botanical Name
ARUNDO donax  
PANICUM virgatum  

Common Name
Giant Reed  
Switchgrass  

In Hindi
नरकट  
Switchgrass  

In German
Pfahlrohr  
Switchgrass  

In French
Arundo donax  
switchgrass  

In Spanish
Arundo donax  
switchgrass  

In Greek
Arundo donax  
switchgrass  

In Portuguese
Cana-do-reino  
switchgrass  

In Polish
Lasecznica trzcinowata  
switchgrass  

In Latin
Arundo donax  
switchgrass  

Classification

Kingdom
Plantae  
Plantae  

Phylum
Angiosperms  
Magnoliophyta  

Class
Liliopsida  
Liliopsida  

Order
Cyperales  
Cyperales  

Family
Poaceae  
Poaceae  

Genus
Arundo  
Panicum  

Clade
Commelinids  
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots  

Tribe
-  
Paniceae  

Subfamily
-  
Panicoideae  

Number of Species
3  
450  
99+

What is >>
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Difference Between Giant Reed and Switchgrass

If you are confused whether Giant Reed or Switchgrass are same, here are some features about those plants to help you choose better. Many people think that these two plants have the same characteristics, but one can see Giant Reed and Switchgrass Information and learn more about it. Fertilizers required for proper growth of Giant Reed are All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer and Fertilize in early spring, whereas for Switchgrass fertilizers required are Nitrogen. Hence, one should know the basic difference between Giant Reed and Switchgrass if you are planning to have them in your garden to enhance its beauty.

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Importance of Giant Reed and Switchgrass

Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Giant Reed and Switchgrass. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Giant Reed and Switchgrass as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Giant Reed is Diaphoretic, Diuretic and Emmoiliant whereas of Switchgrass is . Giant Reed has beauty benefits as follows: Making cosmetics and Skin cleanser while Switchgrass has beauty benefits as follows: Making cosmetics and Skin cleanser.

Compare Facts of Giant Reed vs Switchgrass

How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Giant Reed vs Switchgrass and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Giant Reed are allergic conjunctivitis, flushing of face and wheezing whereas of Switchgrass have respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Giant Reed has no showy fruits and Switchgrass has showy fruits. Also Giant Reed is not flowering and Switchgrass is flowering. You can compare Giant Reed and Switchgrass facts and facts of other plants too.

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