Switch Grass

Fall brings a broad selection of warm season grasses that add interest to New England landscapes and many of them are native to this area as well. One such grass is switch grass, Panicum virgatum, which is in fact found throughout the US east of the Rockies. It is a feature of prairies and here in the northeast it can be found along roadsides and in open fields where its seeds provide a food source for birds and small mammals.

Hardy from USDA Zones 4 through 9 it is drought tolerant when established as well as being salt tolerant and deer and rabbit resistant.

While the various cultivars all display the same airy seed heads, plant breeders have enhanced various height and coloration characteristics which give us a wealth of choices as to how it is used.

Locally, the species reaches around 4’ tall and has predominantly green foliage which takes on reddish and rusty hues in fall. It ultimately turns a tan color by winter and can hold up well until spring depending on the height of the cultivar.

It can be used for screening, making it a useful substitute for the now invasive-classified miscanthus as well as lending itself to prairie-style and native planting schemes as it is an easy-care plant choice.

Cultivars often have names that evoke their characteristics, so let’s take a look at some of those available in our garden centers.

Two long-established cultivars that enhance the red coloration of this grass are Shenandoah and Ruby Ribbons. Both grow around 4’ tall and each have pronounced red-tipped foliage at maturity.

Apache Rose by contrast, has blue-gray foliage, another popular color among cultivars, but what sets this variety apart is its prominent rose-colored flower panicles. Again, this is a cultivar that reaches about 4’ tall.

Another well-established cultivar is Heavy Metal and it is one of the parent plants of several newer cultivars. Reaching 4-5’ tall it has metallic blue-green foliage which turns to tan in winter.

Cloud Nine is one of the tallest varieties, reaching up to 7’ tall. With blue-green foliage that turns golden in fall and purple flower panicles it is one of the varieties excellent for screening.

Dallas Blues, October Sky and Northwind all reach a similar height of 5’ and while the first two have blue-green foliage, Northwind has a more olive tone to its leaves and produces golden flowers in the fall as opposed to the purple ones of Dallas Blues and October Sky.

These newer cultivars along with striking foliage and flower coloration, also tend to be more columnar in shape and with stiffer stems are more robust against winter weather.

These, along with other cultivars, all make attractive additions to the fall landscape and with a variety of uses whether as native plantings, screening, or fall and winter interest they are definitely worth a place in your garden.