Switchgrass forms upright clumps topped by airy flower panicles, with autumn colour and pale stems that continue to give structure through winter.
- Height
- 91–214 cm / 3–7 ft
- Spread
- 60–92 cm / 2–3 ft
- Light
- Full sun / Partial shade
- Soil moisture
- Dry / Moist, well-drained
- Flowering
- Fall, Summer, Winter
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Maintenance
- Low
- USDA zones
- 5a–9b
Planting
Choose full sun and moist clay or sandy soil. Use its height at the back of a border or as a screen; it also tolerates occasional flooding.
Care
Leave seed heads standing for birds through winter, then cut the plant back hard in late winter or early spring before the new season’s growth.
Before planting: Shade can make stems flop. This grass has high flammability; keep it outside wildfire defensible space.
Planting Switchgrass?
Find a landscaper nearby to help with planting and establishment.
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Sources & photo credit
Plant reference: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Content checked . Flowering seasons vary with local climate; USDA zones describe winter cold tolerance.
- Switchgrass: Andrey Zharkikh · CC BY 4.0. Resized, converted to WebP and cropped for display.
- 'Northwind' switchgrass: David J. Stang · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized, converted to WebP and cropped for display.
- Korean feather reed grass: Donna Partlan · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized, converted to WebP and cropped for display.
- Tufted fescue: Stan Shebs · CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized, converted to WebP and cropped for display.