Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Tree
Origin
North America, Canada, Mexico
Southeastern Asia
Types
Panicum abscissum, Panicum acostia, Panicum amarum
Bauhinia. blakeana, Bauhinia variegata Candida.
Number of Varieties
382
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Prairies
tropical environments
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, 13, 19, 21, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
150.00 cm460.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm460.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Green
Pink, Light Pink, Rose, Burgundy, Lavender, Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Red, Green, Orange, Blue Green, Gray Green, Bronze
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Tan, Sandy Brown
Green, Blue Green, Yellow green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Orbiculate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Late Fall, Early Winter, Winter, Late Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Drought, Salt, Variety of soil types
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Divison, Root Division
Grafting, Layering, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
Requires regular watering, Water more in summer
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
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial shade, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Cut or pinch the stems, Prune ocassionally, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
Less fertilizing
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Bacterial leaf scorch, Borers, Caterpillars, Leaf spot, Mites
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Drought, Salt, Variety of soil types
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Wildlife
Bees, Birds
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Bouquets, Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Provides ground cover, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Flowers, Leaves, Seeds
Other Uses
Cattle Fodder, Used as Biofuel
Food for insects, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Container, Feature Plant, Hedges, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
PANICUM virgatum
BAUHINIA blakeana
Common Name
Switchgrass
Blake's Butterfly Tree, Chinese Orchid Tree, Hong Kong Orchid Tree
In Hindi
Switchgrass
हांगकांग आर्किड पेड़
In German
Switchgrass
Hong Kong Orchidee Baum
In French
switchgrass
Hong Kong arbre d'orchidée
In Spanish
switchgrass
árbol de orquídea Hong Kong
In Greek
switchgrass
δέντρο ορχιδέα Χονγκ Κονγκ
In Portuguese
switchgrass
árvore de orquídea de Hong Kong
In Polish
switchgrass
storczyk drzewo Hong Kong
In Latin
switchgrass
Hong Kong Orchid ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Angiosperms
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Fabales
Family
Poaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Panicum
Bauhinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Paniceae
-
Subfamily
Panicoideae
Caesalpinioideae
Number of Species
4507
1
27800
👆🏻