Life Span
Annual or Biennial
Perennial
Origin
South America, Micronesia, New Zealand
North America, Canada, Mexico
Types
Silver pampas grass, Uruguayan pampas grass, Purple pampas grass
Panicum abscissum, Panicum acostia, Panicum amarum
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-11
4-9
AHS Heat Zone
11 - 7
9 - 1
Sunset Zone
H1, 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
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Flower Color
Pink, Violet, White hair and some brown spots on margins and at tips
Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green, Dark Green
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green, Dark Green
Red, Green, Orange, Blue Green, Gray Green, Bronze
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Tan
Tan, Sandy Brown
Leaf Shape
Long and slender with very sharp edges
Grass like
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Type of Soil
Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Summer, Fall
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Divison, Root Division
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Needs watering once a week, Reduce water once established, Water more frequently during periods of extreme drought
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 pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in late winter, Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Prune in spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
Apply 10-10-10 amount, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Fine
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Attracts
Birds, Rats, Snakes
Birds, Wildlife
Allergy
Itchiness, Skin cuts
-
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Edible Uses
Insignificant
Insignificant
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Provides ground cover
Air purification, Provides ground cover, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Leaves
Other Uses
Fibre, Food for animals, Used in paper industry
Cattle Fodder, Used as Biofuel
Used As Indoor Plant
Insignificant
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Dried Flower / Everlasting, Cutflower, Dried Flower/Everlasting, Feature Plant, Foundation, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
CORTADERIA
PANICUM virgatum
Common Name
Pampas Grass
Switchgrass
In Hindi
Pampas grass
Switchgrass
In German
Pampasgrass
Switchgrass
In French
herbe de la pampa
switchgrass
In Spanish
cortaderas
switchgrass
In Greek
γρασίδι Πάμπα
switchgrass
In Portuguese
grama de Pampas
switchgrass
In Polish
Pampas trawy
switchgrass
In Latin
Pampas herba
switchgrass
Phylum
Vascular plant
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Liliopsida
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Danthonieae
Paniceae
Subfamily
Danthonioideae
Panicoideae
Importance of Pampas Grass and Switchgrass
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Pampas Grass and Switchgrass. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Pampas Grass 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 Pampas Grass is whereas of Switchgrass is . Pampas Grass has beauty benefits as follows: while Switchgrass has beauty benefits as follows: .
Compare Facts of Pampas Grass 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 Pampas Grass 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 Pampas Grass are Itchiness and Skin cuts whereas of Switchgrass have respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Pampas Grass has showy fruits and Switchgrass has showy fruits. Also Pampas Grass is flowering and Switchgrass is flowering. You can compare Pampas Grass and Switchgrass facts and facts of other plants too.