Switchgrass

Switchgrass

Panicum virgatum

Poaceae (Grass Family)

Panicum virgatum: Switchgrass

Location near campus: in ornamental grass bed toward southwest corner of Master Gardener areas north of Botanical Center Building in Nathanael Greene park at the Botanical Center; also along the east and south side of the Xeriscape Garden at the corner of Linwood & National in Springfield.

• native warm-season clump-forming perennial grass bright-green to blue-green leaves
• leaves grow 3-5’ tall, flexible and bending over at the tips
• inflorescence is a large, open, airy panicle with tiny flowers/seeds at tips of branches
• winter foliage can be golden to orange in color, and panicles persist
• needs full sun, tolerates moderate to fairly dry soils, prefers moderate fertility
• several cultivars available with more blue foliage or redder fall color
  • cultlivars must be propagated by division, but can start species easily by seed
• being used more and more as a source for ethanol fuels, due to dense stem production