Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Grass
Origin
North America, Canada, Mexico
Japan
Types
Panicum abscissum, Panicum acostia, Panicum amarum
Imperata cylindrica
Number of Varieties
3830
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Prairies
Moist Soils, River side, yards
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-95-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9 - 1
9 - 3
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
2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
150.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Green
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Red, Green, Orange, Blue Green, Gray Green, Bronze
Green, Sienna
Leaf Color in Winter
Tan, Sandy Brown
Tan
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Subulate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
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, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Divison, Root Division
From Rhizomes, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Prune once the plant is tall enough, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
can go long without fertilizers, Doesn't require fertilization when grown in rich soil
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Deer resistant, Drought, Full Sun, Shade areas
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
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
Insignificant
-
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Provides ground cover, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Leaves, Root
Other Uses
Cattle Fodder, Used as Biofuel
Traditional medicine, Weaving into Mats and Bags
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
-
Botanical Name
PANICUM virgatum
IMPERATA cylindrica
Common Name
Switchgrass
Japanese Blood Grass
In Hindi
Switchgrass
Japanese Blood Grass
In German
Switchgrass
Japanische Blut Grass
In French
switchgrass
Herbe de sang japonais
In Spanish
switchgrass
Hierba de sangre japonesa
In Greek
switchgrass
Ιαπωνικά Grass αίματος
In Portuguese
switchgrass
Grama sangue japonês
In Polish
switchgrass
Japoński Krew Trawa
In Latin
switchgrass
Sanguinem Italica Grass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Cyperales
Family
Poaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Panicum
Imperata
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Paniceae
-
Subfamily
Panicoideae
-
Number of Species
45015
1
27800
👆🏻