Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Grass
Origin
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
North America, Canada, Mexico
Types
-
Panicum abscissum, Panicum acostia, Panicum amarum
Number of Varieties
338
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
Prairies
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-94-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
9 - 1
Sunset Zone
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
Oval or Rounded
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm150.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Brown
Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Black
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Red, Green, Orange, Blue Green, Gray Green, Bronze
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Tan, Sandy Brown
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Spring
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Divison, Root Division
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular 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
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
Pruning
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Prune in spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Pollution, Soil Compaction
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
Medium
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Birds, Wildlife
Allergy
Asthma
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Erosion control, Wildlife
Air purification, Provides ground cover, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Leaves
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Cattle Fodder, Used as Biofuel
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
BETULA nigra
PANICUM virgatum
Common Name
River Birch
Switchgrass
In Hindi
River Birch
Switchgrass
In German
Fluss Birch
Switchgrass
In French
Birch river
switchgrass
In Spanish
river Birch
switchgrass
In Greek
ποταμός Birch
switchgrass
In Portuguese
river Birch
switchgrass
In Polish
Rzeka Birch
switchgrass
In Latin
Betula
switchgrass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Fagales
Cyperales
Family
Betulaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Betula
Panicum
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Paniceae
Subfamily
-
Panicoideae
Number of Species
3450
1
27800
👆🏻