Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Tender Perennial
Origin
North America, Canada, Mexico
Latin America and the Caribbean
Types
Panicum abscissum, Panicum acostia, Panicum amarum
Heliconiaceae
Number of Varieties
38194
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Prairies
Humid climates, Warmer regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9 - 1
12-10
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
H1, H2, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Thicket/Colonizing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
150.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm150.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Green
White, Yellow, Red, Green, Orange, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Red, Orange
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Red, Green, Orange, Blue Green, Gray Green, Bronze
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Tan, Sandy Brown
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Divison, Root Division
From Rhizomes, Micropropagation
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs
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
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune in spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
Fertilize every two months
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Salt
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
Fine
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Wildlife
Hummingbirds, Insects
Allergy
-
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Provides ground cover, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes
Food for birds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Healing
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Root, Seeds
Other Uses
Cattle Fodder, Used as Biofuel
Florist trade and landscaping
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
PANICUM virgatum
HELICONIA psittacorum 'Lady Di'
Common Name
Switchgrass
Heliconia, Lady Di Heliconia, Parakeet Flower
In Hindi
Switchgrass
Heliconia
In German
Switchgrass
Heliconia
In French
switchgrass
Heliconia
In Spanish
switchgrass
Heliconia
In Greek
switchgrass
Heliconia
In Portuguese
switchgrass
Heliconia
In Polish
switchgrass
Heliconia
In Latin
switchgrass
Heliconia
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Zingiberales
Family
Poaceae
Heliconiaceae
Genus
Panicum
Heliconia
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Paniceae
-
Subfamily
Panicoideae
-
Number of Species
450198
1
27800
👆🏻