Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Perennial
Grass
Origin
Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Southwestern United States, Texas, Canada, Mexico
North America, Canada, Mexico
Types
Ratibida columnifera
Panicum abscissum, Panicum acostia, Panicum amarum
Number of Varieties
2538
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, Prairies, Rocky areas, rocky outcrops
Prairies
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-104-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-1
9 - 1
Sunset Zone
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
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
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm150.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Purple, Burgundy, Light Green, Brown
Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green, Gray Green
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green, Gray Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Green, Gray Green
Red, Green, Orange, Blue Green, Gray Green, Bronze
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Tan, Sandy Brown
Shape
Leaf Shape
Subulate
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Divison, Root Division
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Water in morning to avoid prompting diseases
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
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch Tips, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Prune in spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Full Sun
Pollution, Soil Compaction
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Birds, Wildlife
Allergy
Rhinitis
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Provides ground cover, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Analgesic
-
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
Leaves
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea, Used in making tea
Cattle Fodder, Used as Biofuel
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
RATIBIDA columnifera
PANICUM virgatum
Common Name
Mexican Hat
Switchgrass
In Hindi
Mexican Hat
Switchgrass
In German
Mexican Hat
Switchgrass
In French
Mexican Hat
switchgrass
In Spanish
mexican Hat
switchgrass
In Greek
Mexican Hat
switchgrass
In Portuguese
Mexican Hat
switchgrass
In Polish
Mexican Hat
switchgrass
In Latin
Mexicanus Hat
switchgrass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Asterales
Cyperales
Family
Asteraceae
Poaceae
Genus
Ratibida
Panicum
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Paniceae
Subfamily
-
Panicoideae
Number of Species
14450
1
27800
👆🏻