Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah'

'Shenandoah' features some of the best burgundy-red foliage of the many panicum cultivars currently available in commerce. Foliage emerges bluish-green but rapidly turns burgundy-red (by late June) to form a compact, narrow, erect, 3' tall clump of foliage, which is topped in summer by finely-textured, reddish-pink flower panicles that hover over the foliage like an airy cloud.

Switchgrass, also known as Panicum virgatum, is an ornamental grass native to Texas. It was once an essential part of the tallgrass prairie that covered a large portion of the state. This warm-season grass grows in clumps and typically stands at 3 feet. During the flowering season, the plant produces finely textured, pink-tinged, branched flower panicles that can bring the total plant height up to 6 feet. The medium green leaves turn yellow with orange tints in autumn and fade to tan-beige in winter. The panicles turn beige as the seeds mature in fall, and the seed plumes persist well into winter, providing food for birds.

Switchgrass can proliferate in medium to wet soils, from full sun to partial shade. It can tolerate many soils, including dry ones, but prefers moist, sandy, or clay soils. Although it can take occasional flooding, it may flop in overly rich soils. The grass performs best in full sun and may lose its form in too much shade, rising more openly and possibly falling over. It grows primarily in clumps but will slowly spread by slightly creeping rhizomes. Clumps should be cut back to the ground in late winter to early spring. While plants may self-seed in optimum growing conditions, cultivars may not come true from seed.

Height: 3’-6’
Spread 2’-3’
Bloom: July-February
Light: Full Sun, Part Shade
Water: Medium
Zone: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Origin: Central United States