Switch Grass

Switch Grass Panicum virgatum Full to part sun, moderately wet to dry moisture level, best on sandy to clay loams and does poorly on heavy soils.  3-6 feet height, blooms late summer into fall, pink flowers, spreads steadily into colonies by both rhizomes and re-seeding. Germination Code:  A Native Region:  Statewide A warm-season clump-forming grass widely grown as an ornamental.   One of our most valuable native grasses and adapted to a wide range of sites.  Easy to grow.  Tends to flop in rich soils so do not fertilize it.  Has a number of cultivars, including ‘Dacotah’, ‘Hanse Herms’, ‘Heavy Metal’, ‘Northwind’, ‘Rotstrahlbusch’, ‘Shenandoah’, ‘Squaw’, and ‘Sunburst.’  Attracts songbirds, game birds and butterflies. grass;sun;wet;clay grass;sun;wet;loam grass;sun;wet;sand grass;sun;medium;clay grass;sun;medium;loam grass;sun;medium;sand grass;sun;dry;clay grass;sun;dry;loam grass;sun;dry;sand grass;sun/shade;wet;clay grass;sun/shade;wet;loam grass;sun/shade;wet;sand grass;sun/shade;medium;clay grass;sun/shade;medium;loam grass;sun/shade;medium;sand grass;sun/shade;dry;clay grass;sun/shade;dry;loam grass;sun/shade;dry;sand

Photo Courtesy of John Hilty http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/ Photo Courtesy of John Hilty http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/ Photo Courtesy of John Hilty http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/