Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Grass
Origin
North America, Canada, Mexico
North America, United States, Southwestern United States, Texas, Mexico
Types
Panicum abscissum, Panicum acostia, Panicum amarum
Foxtail muhly, Devils Canyon muhly, alkali muhly
Number of Varieties
382
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Prairies
High elevation, Hillside, Slopes
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-97-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9 - 1
12 - 7
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
-
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
150.00 cm45.72 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Green
Pink, Purple, White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Brown, White
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green
Light Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Red, Green, Orange, Blue Green, Gray Green, Bronze
Blue Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Tan, Sandy Brown
Blue Green, Gray Green, Tan
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Divison, Root Division
Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
Needs less watering, Water every 3 weeks until the root ball is wet
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
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune in spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Grass Cuttting and pruning up to 5cm, Prune in early spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, EDTA iron
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Drought
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, Wildlife
Bees, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Pollen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Provides ground cover, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes
Air purification, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
-
Other Uses
Cattle Fodder, Used as Biofuel
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Dried Flower/Everlasting, Foundation, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
PANICUM virgatum
MUHLENBERGIA emersleyi
Common Name
Switchgrass
Bull Grass
In Hindi
Switchgrass
Bull Grass
In German
Switchgrass
Bull Grass
In French
switchgrass
Bull Herbe
In Spanish
switchgrass
Bull Hierba
In Greek
switchgrass
Δελτίο Grass
In Portuguese
switchgrass
touro grama
In Polish
switchgrass
Bull Trawa
In Latin
switchgrass
Bull Grass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Cyperales
Family
Poaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Panicum
Muhlenbergia
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Paniceae
Eragrostideae
Subfamily
Panicoideae
Chloridoideae
Number of Species
450180
1
27800
👆🏻