Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Grass
Grass
Origin
North America, Canada, Mexico
Africa
Types
Panicum abscissum, Panicum acostia, Panicum amarum
Pennisetum glaucum
Number of Varieties
387
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Prairies
Sunny Edge, Warmer regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-98-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9 - 1
12 - 8
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
8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
150.00 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
90.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Green
Brown, Purple, Purplish-black
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Brown, Cream
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Red, Green, Orange, Blue Green, Gray Green, Bronze
Purple, Dark Green, Burgundy
Leaf Color in Winter
Tan, Sandy Brown
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Soil Compaction
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
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
Requires regular watering
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, Alkaline
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
Prune in winter, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Nitrogen
15-0-15, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Alternaria Leaf Spot, eyespot, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Deer resistant, 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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Wildlife
Aphids, Bees, Birds
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
along a porch, deck or patio, Beautification, Informal Hedge, Mixed Border, Showy Purposes, Wild gardens
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
Branch, Flowering Tips, Whole plant
Other Uses
Cattle Fodder, Used as Biofuel
Beneficial species for attracting pollinators, repels deer
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Dried Flower/Everlasting, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
PANICUM virgatum
PENNISETUM glaucum 'purple millet'
Common Name
Switchgrass
Millet, Pearl Millet
In Hindi
Switchgrass
purple millet
In German
Switchgrass
purple millet
In French
switchgrass
millet pourpre
In Spanish
switchgrass
purple millet
In Greek
switchgrass
purple millet
In Portuguese
switchgrass
purple millet
In Polish
switchgrass
purple millet
In Latin
switchgrass
purple millet
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Cyperales
Family
Poaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Panicum
Pennisetum
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Paniceae
Paniceae
Subfamily
Panicoideae
Panicoideae
Number of Species
4501
1
27800
👆🏻