Northwind Switch Grass

Panicum virgatum 'Northwind'

Northwind Switch Grass is a tall fast-growing  ornamental grass  native to the prairies of North America.  The stiff upright olive to blue-green foliage turns yellow-beige in fall.   In mid-summer stems holding airy clusters of tiny yellow flowers raise above the foliage like a cloud which turn brown in fall and persist through winter.  Prefers  part sun and moist well-drained soils.  

MAINTENANCE NEEDS:  Low maintenance plant. Too much shade will lose its upright form.  Beetles and mites are occasional problems.  Root and crown rot may occur in poorly drained soils. Some susceptibility to rust.

LANDSCAPE USES: Accents or Group Plantings,  Borders,  Naturalized Areas,  Woodland Garden,  Wildlife Gardens,  Bog Gardens,  Rock Gardens, and Containers.

COMPANION PLANTS:   Tickseed, Salvia, Blanket Fower

Image: Photo by David J. Stang, Panicum virgatum Northwind 1zz, CC BY-SA 4.0