Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Perennial
Origin
North America, Canada, Mexico
Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Southwestern United States, Texas, Canada, Mexico
Types
Panicum abscissum, Panicum acostia, Panicum amarum
Ratibida columnifera
Number of Varieties
3825
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Prairies
Dry areas, Prairies, Rocky areas, rocky outcrops
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-93-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9 - 1
10-1
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
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 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
Habit
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
150.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Green
Yellow, Purple, Burgundy, Light Green, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green
Light Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Light Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Red, Green, Orange, Blue Green, Gray Green, Bronze
Light Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Tan, Sandy Brown
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Subulate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Divison, Root Division
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs, Water in morning to avoid prompting diseases
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Prune in spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch Tips, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Drought, Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Full Sun
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
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Rhinitis
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Borders
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Provides ground cover, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Analgesic
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Flowers
Other Uses
Cattle Fodder, Used as Biofuel
Can be made into a herbal tea, Used in making tea
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Botanical Name
PANICUM virgatum
RATIBIDA columnifera
Common Name
Switchgrass
Mexican Hat
In Hindi
Switchgrass
Mexican Hat
In German
Switchgrass
Mexican Hat
In French
switchgrass
Mexican Hat
In Spanish
switchgrass
mexican Hat
In Greek
switchgrass
Mexican Hat
In Portuguese
switchgrass
Mexican Hat
In Polish
switchgrass
Mexican Hat
In Latin
switchgrass
Mexicanus Hat
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Asterales
Family
Poaceae
Asteraceae
Genus
Panicum
Ratibida
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Paniceae
-
Subfamily
Panicoideae
-
Number of Species
45014
1
27800
👆🏻