Adaptable, beautiful switch grass works in any landscape
As common in commercial landscapes as it is in its prairie home, switch grass (Panicum virgatum) is incredibly versatile. Grasses are generally easy to grow, drought-tolerant and pest-resistant, and switch grass is no exception.
Switch grass belongs to one of the largest and most economically important families, the grass family (Poaceae). It grows from southern Canada to Mexico over most of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains, although much its habitat is now farm fields.
This clump-forming grass breaks dormancy in late spring, putting on the majority of its growth in summer along with other important tallgrass prairie grasses such as big bluestem and Indiangrass that once dominated central North America. These warm-grass species do best in the heat of the summer, in contrast to turfgrass that greens quickly with moisture and cooler temperatures.
Switch grass generally grows best in full sun, reaching 3 to 6 feet tall by 2 to 3 feet wide, with stiff round stems
Switch grass
and long, narrow, green leaves. Its bright-red, yellow or gray-green tones are especially colorful in fall. Tenfoot-deep, fibrous roots allow excellent drought-resistance and underground carbonstorage biomass, both important features for a changing climate.
Many insects feed on the foliage, and mammals and birds eat its seeds.
• Uses: Native alternative to non-native overused and ubiquitous Miscanthus. Use as a specimen, in a mixed border, especially with lateblooming asters, goldenrods,and coneflowers; massed as a privacy screen or border; prairie or native planting; and in bioretention or rain gardens. Widely planted for its adaptability and beauty, switch grass also has been studied for use as a biofuel.
• Maintenance: Cut switch grass back in late winter, leaving the crown exposed with 4 to 5 inches. Propagate by division about every four years, leaving 2 to 3 feet between clumps. Staking or tying taller plants ahead of damaging winds or storms will keep them upright.
• Cultivars: Varieties tend to reseed and spread more sparingly than the species, and its natural variation has led to significant development. A few include the upright “Heavy Metal” with metallic-blue foliage and pinkish blooms at 5 feet, or “Shenandoah” with red-toned highlights. “Cape Breeze” is just 2½ feet, in contrast to “Thundercloud” and “Cloud Nine,” vase-shaped, stunning 8-foot masses. Several are available at local nurseries for you to choose among desired fall color, height and shape.
Once a month, the OSU Extension Master Gardener’s Office of Franklin County profiles a plant that occurs naturally in central Ohio.