Switch Grass

Panicum virgatum Shenandoah

• Position: full sun
• Soil: moderately fertile, well-drained soil
• Rate of growth: slow-average
• Flowering period: August and September
• Hardiness: fully hardy
  
  Easily mistaken for Japanese Blood grass (Imperata cylindrica Rubra), this grass starts off with green, strap-like leaves that turn red at the tips in June, and produces light, airy flower panicles in summer. In autumn, the foliage turns a spectacular deep burgundy. It likes full sun, and unlike Imperata, can cope with dry summers. Try it in small groups among taller grasses, or against tall perennials.
  
  
• Garden care: when it starts to look tatty, lift and divide between mid-spring and summer.