Native switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) grows anywhere
Once a major player in native tallgrass prairies east of the Rocky Mountains from Canada to Mexico, switchgrass can adapt to sandy soil, dry slopes, open woodlands, salty marshes and even under walnut trees with nary a care in the world. It's a great ornamental grass to grow in any garden.
This warm-season grass blooms as days lengthen in the summer. The airy flower panicles develop yellow, pink or purple seedheads, depending on the cultivar. As fall arrives with cooler temperatures and shorter days, many switchgrass varieties’ leaf blades transform from green or blue-green to gold, red or burgundy.
Grasses with benefits
Switchgrass is a great alternative to non-native ornamental grasses, such as maiden grass.
Songbirds, ducks and gamebirds eat the seeds, and the dried foliage provides cover and nesting material. Massed plantings of switchgrass also create a protective habitat for small mammals. It’s even a host plant to several species of butterflies. Are you ready to make the switch to this hardy native grass? Scroll down to find out how to use it in your garden.
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How to use switchgrass in your garden design
Switchgrass’ vertical lines provide structure in a planting. But its airy seedheads and swaying habit lend softness and movement to the landscape. It even adds a calming swishy sound to make the garden a serene, relaxing place. And it’s a remarkably strong plant that stands tall for much of the year.
Add seasonal color
Switchgrass has something for every season. In spring, leaves emerge with fresh, often blue-green blades that are soft to the touch. In a matter of weeks, leaf tips may take on a red or burgundy tinge as they age. Summer blooms have a yellow, pink or purple cast and turn tan as seedheads form. By fall, foliage colors deepen to rich red, burgundy or golden-yellow, depending on the variety, ending the year in warm tan or copper as plants dry and go dormant. Switchgrass’ dried tan stems are the perfect foil to temper the fiery fall red flowers and foliage in the photo above. Long after companion plants have lost their leaves and flowers, switchgrass foliage will remain standing, looking magical with a dusting of frost or snow.
Create a living screen with switchgrass
A row of switchgrass can act as a living screen from late summer when it reaches its full height through much of winter. Use cultivars that grow taller than 4 feet, such as 4- to 5 foot-tall ‘Heavy Metal’, to get the best effect. Space plants tightly (just a little closer than the recommended spacing on the plant tag) so they knit together into a thicker screen as they grow. Plant them farther apart if you want to be able to see through the gaps while still obscuring the view from the other side. A patch of switchgrass can help muffle street noises with a calming sound as a breeze ruffles the blades of grass.
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Grow a naturalistic planting
Native switchgrass is perfect for a naturalistic planting like the one in the photo above, or a prairie. Plant it in drifts throughout the garden with other shrubs and perennials in a casual style. Because it needs minimal care, establish switchgrass in hard-to-maintain spots with other low-maintenance plants, such as cup plant and gray-headed coneflower.
Plant to help the environment
The roots of native switchgrass form clumps of rhizomes that can grow 5 to 6 feet deep. This is perfect to anchor a slope and keep soil in place. The thick rhizomes slow rushing rainwater, allowing it to soak gradually into the ground instead of running off. Switchgrass absorbs nitrogen and phosphorus, sequesters carbon, alleviates flooding and can grow in the whiplash wet and dry conditions of a rain garden.
Add a vertical element
Whether tall or small, switchgrass’ upright habit brings height and verticality to a bed. Its soft grassy texture gives the eye a place to rest among bold leaf shapes and bright flower colors, such as the plant partners in the list of colorful companions below. Switchgrass’ dynamic shape draws attention, especially when the sun captures its airy blooms as in the photo above, where it highlights the entry to the deck. If you place it next to a path, know that the outer stems on some varieties might bend into the walkway occasionally, so give it plenty of room or choose a more upright cultivar, such as ‘Northwind,’ for those high-traffic spots. Scroll on to learn how to grow versatile switchgrass and see the differences between some of its cultivars.
Try these colorful companion plants with switchgrass
Switchgrass pairs well with dark foliage and bold flowers. Meet a few pairing plants that put on a great fall show.
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Annual sunflower (Helianthus annuus and hybrids)
Annual; yellow, gold, red, brown, white, burgundy, bicolor, apricot or peach flowers from midsummer to frost; full sun; 1 to 16 ft. tall, 2 to 3 ft. wide -
Dahlia (Dahlia hybrids)
Tuber; single or double flowers in red, orange, pink, white or cream from midsummer to fall; full sun; 1 to 6 ft. tall, 1 to 3 ft. wide; USDA zones 8 to 12 -
Joe-Pye weed (Eutrochium spp. and hybrids)
Perennial; purple, dusty rose or white flower clusters bloom from midsummer to fall; full sun to part shade; 3 to 8 ft. tall, 2 to 5 ft. wide; USDA zones 3 to 9 -
New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
Perennial; pink or purple daisylike flowers from late summer to fall; full sun; 1 to 6 ft. tall, 2 to 3 ft. wide; USDA zones 3 to 8 -
Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius spp. and hybrids)
Shrub; white or pink flower clusters from late spring to early summer atop green, chartreuse, burgundy or near-black foliage; full sun to part shade; 1 to 8 ft. tall, 2 to 8 ft. wide; USDA zones 2 to 7 -
Tall sedum (Hylotelephium spp. and hybrids)
Perennial; pink, red, white, burgundy or green flower clusters summer through fall; full sun; 8 to 36 in. tall, 12 to 24 in. wide; USDA zones 3 to 10
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How to grow switchgrass
Switchgrass can tolerate some shade, but will be bigger, fuller and less likely to splay open if grown in full sun. Lean soils are best: too much nitrogen can make a plant thin and floppy, so there is no need to give it any fertilizer. Switchgrass tolerates dry soil once established, making it a good choice in regions that might experience summer droughts.
Tips for cleaning up switchgrass in spring
Switchgrass is a warm-season grass, so it is slow to emerge in spring, waiting to sprout until soil temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees F. You can leave dead stems up through winter, but you may need to trim some in winter if heavy snow or ice weighs them down and blocks a walkway.
In early spring, shear them back as soon as you see new leaf blades popping up through the old growth. To make spring cleanup easy, tie twine or a bungee cord around loose clumps of grass to pull it into a tight bundle. This makes it easier to work around the base unimpeded and keeps all the stems together for quick pick-up once they are cut. Use hedge shears or pruners to cut the stems off a couple of inches above the ground. The whole bundle can be tossed in the compost pile or you can cut the stems and blades into shorter pieces and spread them as mulch in your garden.
How to divide switchgrass
Though you can start switchgrass from seed, it is slow to germinate and establish a stand. It’s easier to get more plants with division. Do this as often as every three years if you want to get more plants. You can leave switchgrass alone for years unless you see dieback in the center of the clump. Then you may need to rejuvenate the plant by dividing it. The best time to do this is in early spring before new growth gets about a foot tall. Use a sharp spade to cut portions off the outer edges, then plant divisions at the same depth as the parent.
Find the right switchgrass for your garden
Switchgrass cultivars vary in size and foliage color. Check out the 6 switchgrasses in the gallery below to pick the perfect one for your garden.
