Panicum virgatum Shenandoah (Switch Grass)
Sporting one of the best burgundy foliage of all switch grasses, Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’ is a deciduous, perennial grass of choice. It forms an erect, compact and narrow clump of steely blue-green foliage in spring, which quickly takes on red tones by early summer and turns violet, purple, burgundy and wine-red by early fall.
Sporting one of the best burgundy foliage of all switch grasses, Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah' is a deciduous, perennial grass of choice. It forms an erect, compact and narrow clump of steely blue-green foliage in spring, which quickly takes on red tones by early summer and turns violet, purple, burgundy and wine-red by early fall. It gets topped in summer with a profusion of finely-textured, reddish-pink flower spikelets which hover over the foliage like an airy cloud. Both flowers and foliage turn beige in fall and persist well into winter.
Requirements
| Hardiness | 5 – 9 |
|---|---|
| Heat Zones | 1 – 9 |
| Climate Zones | 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 |
| Plant Type | Ornamental Grasses |
| Plant Family | Panicum – Switch Grasses |
| Exposure | Full Sun, Partial Sun |
| Season of Interest | Summer (Early,Mid,Late)FallWinter |
| Height | 3' – 4' (90cm – 120cm) |
| Spread | 3' – 4' (90cm – 120cm) |
| Spacing | 48″ (120cm) |
| Water Needs | Average |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Soil Type | Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand |
| Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
| Soil Drainage | Moist but Well-Drained, Well-Drained |
| Characteristics | Plant of Merit, Showy |
| Tolerance | Deer, Drought, Dry Soil, Wet Soil |
| Attracts | Birds, Butterflies |
| Garden Uses | Beds and Borders, Bog Gardens, Hedges and Screens, Ponds and Streams, Rain Gardens |
| Garden Styles | Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow |