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Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’
Switchgrass ‘Shenandoah’ is a cultivar grass in the Poaceae family. Like most grasses, it
prefers full sun to part shade. This grass is clumping, dense and can get up to seven feet tall if
conditions are ideal, making it a good privacy screen option. Bluish green leaves with red tips are sheath-shaped and turn gold in fall and then tan in winter. Blooms are purple to burgundy and appear June through October. The cultivar ‘Shenandoah’ is particularly resistant to phytophthora, a common cause of root rot and crown rot.
Key Info
Scientific Name: Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah'
Common Names: Switchgrass 'Shenandoah'
Family Names: Poaceae
Plant Type: Grass / Grass-like
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Flower Color: Gold, purple, burgundy
Additional Info
Habit: Clumping, dense, erect
Height: 3' - 7'
Spread: 2' - 3'
Soil Conditions: Clay, sand
Leaves: Green and red sheath, golden yellow in fall, tan in winter
Flowers (or reproductive structures: Panicle
Fruit: Edible teardrop seed goes from purple to tan in August-November
USDA Hardiness Zone: 5-9
Wildlife Connections: Larval host for various Skipper butterfly species and Common Wood- Nymph (Cercyonis pegala.) Birds love the seeds in winter.
Propagation: Division, seed