Panicum virgatum
SWITCH GRASS
- Forms an upright, dense clump of medium-green foliage
- Flat leaf blades are 30 cm long, branching from upright stems
- Airy panicles rising above the foliage are reddish-pink changing to tan in the fall
HEIGHT: 120-200 cm · SPREAD: 75-100 cm
Panicum virgatum 'Apache Rose' (PP29142, CPBR5651)
APACHE ROSE SWITCH GRASS
- Proven Winners® ColorChoice®
- Dense upright columnar habit with grey-green foliage
- Tips become flushed with a hint of rosy-red in the fall and rose-coloured panicles appear
HEIGHT: 100-125 cm · SPREAD: 70-80 cm
Panicum virgatum 'Blood Brothers'
BLOOD BROTHERS SWITCH GRASS
- A Canadian introduction
- Forms a tight upright clump of blue-green foliage
- Airy burgundy-red cloud-like panicles, 30 cm long, rise above the foliage
HEIGHT: 80-150 cm · SPREAD: 50-70 cm
Panicum virgatum 'Cape Breeze' (PP24895)
CAPE BREEZE DWARF SWITCHGRASS
- A North Creek Nurseries introduction
- Upright compact habit
- Forms a tight upright clump of green foliage that remains green into fall
HEIGHT: 60-90 cm · SPREAD: 50-60 cm
Panicum virgatum 'Cheyenne Sky' (PP23209)
CHEYENNE SKY SWITCH GRASS
- Proven Winners® ColorChoice®
- Forms a tight upright clump of blue-green foliage
- Airy burgundy-red cloud-like panicles, 30 cm long, rise above the foliage
HEIGHT: 60-100 cm · SPREAD: 50-70 cm
Panicum virgatum 'Dallas Blues' (PP11202)
DALLAS BLUES SWITCH GRASS
- Forms a dense upright clump of steel-blue to green foliage
- This cultivar has a wider leaf blade, (2-4 cm wide) that arches from upright stems
- Purple-pink panicles about 50 cm long above the leaves
HEIGHT: 150-175 cm · SPREAD: 70-100 cm
Panicum virgatum 'Hanse Herms'
HANSE HERMS SWITCH GRASS
- AKA Panicum virgatum 'Haense Herms'
- Forms a loose upright clump of arching green leaves on sturdy stems
- Airy cloud-like silvery green panicles appear above the foliage
HEIGHT: 100-125 cm · SPREAD: 80-100 cm
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal'
HEAVY METAL SWITCH GRASS
- Forms a very tight upright vase-shaped clump of intense metallic-blue foliage
- Airy cloud-like pinkish panicles shimmer above the foliage
- Leaves have a good yellow fall colour
HEIGHT: 120-150 cm · SPREAD: 50-80 cm
Panicum virgatum 'Northwind'
NORTHWIND SWITCH GRASS
- Forms a tight upright clump of gray-green foliage becoming vase-shaped with age
- Flat leaf blades are 30 cm long, branching almost vertically from upright stems
- Grass is topped with slender airy cloud-like green panicles
HEIGHT: 125-150 cm · SPREAD: 70-90 cm
Panicum virgatum 'Prairie Fire' (PP19367)
PRAIRIE FIRE SWITCH GRASS
- Forms a tight, upright clump of blue-green foliage
- Airy cloud-like pinkish panicles shimmer above the foliage
- Leaves turn a dark wine-red in early summer, starting at the tips
HEIGHT: 125-150 cm · SPREAD: 70-80 cm
Panicum virgatum 'Prairie Sky'
PRAIRIE SKY SWITCH GRASS
- Forms an upright clump of wide leaf blades arching from upright stems
- Foliage is a more intense blue than P. 'Heavy Metal'
- Grass is topped with dark red airy cloud-like panicles
HEIGHT: 150-175 cm · SPREAD: 75-90 cm
Panicum virgatum 'Rotstrahlbusch'
RED RAY SWITCH GRASS
- Forms a dense upright clump of green leaves with slight hints of red
- Airy clouds of pinkish panicles shimmer above the foliage
- Leaves turn an intense dark red in late summer, starting at the tips
HEIGHT: 100-125 cm · SPREAD: 60-90 cm
Panicum virgatum Ruby Ribbons™ ('RR1') (PP17944)
RUBY RIBBONS™ SWITCH GRASS
- A cross between Panicum 'Haense Herms and 'Heavy Metal'
- Blue-green blades develop wine-red tips as they mature
- Panicles of fine pinkish-red flowers are held above the blades
HEIGHT: 125-150 cm · SPREAD: 70-90 cm
Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah'
SHENANDOAH SWITCH GRASS
- Forms a dense clump of green leaves arching slightly from upright stems
- Airy cloud-like pinkish panicles shimmer above the foliage
- Leaves turn an intense dark red in late summer from the tips downward
HEIGHT: 100-125 cm · SPREAD: 60-90 cm
Panicum virgatum 'Totem Pole' (PP29951, CPBRAF)
TOTEM POLE SWITCH GRASS
- Proven Winners® ColorChoice®
- Forms a very upright column of steel blue foliage and powdery blue stems
- Golden seed panicles appear in early fall
HEIGHT: 170-180 cm · SPREAD: 70-80 cm
Pennisetum alopecuroides
FOUNTAIN GRASS
- Forms a dense mounding clump of bright green blades
- Soft reddish bottlebrush-like flower spikes age to tan for the winter
- Slender flower stalks can be upright or arching
HEIGHT: 90-120 cm · SPREAD: 80-100 cm
Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Burgundy Bunny' (PP21917)
DWARF FOUNTAIN GRASS
- Forms a dense mounding clump of narrow bright green blades
- Summer foliage shows red turning almost completely red until frost
- Flowers rise slightly above the foliage on slender stalks
HEIGHT: 30-40 cm · SPREAD: 20-30 cm
Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Cassian'
CASSIAN FOUNTAIN GRASS
- Forms a dense mounding clump of bright green blades
- Soft bottlebrush-like flower spikes are white with a slight pink tint
- Flowers rise above foliage on slender stalks
HEIGHT: 40-60 cm · SPREAD: 30-45 cm
Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Desert Plains' (PP20751)
DESERT PLAINS FOUNTAIN GRASS
- The narrow green blades form an upright vase-shaped clump
- Improved habit, flowering performance, and fall colour over 'Cassian' and 'Hameln'
- Tips of foliage begin to turn deep red midsummer and transitions to shades of orange and gold in fall
HEIGHT: 90-120 cm · SPREAD: 90-120 cm
Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln'
DWARF FOUNTAIN GRASS
- Forms a dense mounding clump of bright green blades
- Soft creamy-white bottlebrush-like flower spikes rise above the foliage on slender stalks
- Foliage turns a rich golden-yellow in the fall
HEIGHT: 60-90 cm · SPREAD: 50-60 cm
Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Lemon Squeeze' (PPAF)
LEMON SQUEEZE FOUNTAIN GRASS
- Sturdy chartreuse gold blades arch in a mounding habit
- Full sun required for best colour
- Copper-coloured bottlebrush plumes in midsummer to fall
HEIGHT: 90-120 cm · SPREAD: 90-120 cm
Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Little Bunny'
MINIATURE FOUNTAIN GRASS
- Forms a dense mounding clump of narrow bright green blades
- Miniature creamy-white bottlebrush-like soft flower spikes
- Flowers rise slightly above the foliage on slender stalks
HEIGHT: 30-40 cm · SPREAD: 20-30 cm
Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Love and Rockets'
LOVE AND ROCKETS FOUNTAIN GRASS
- Bred and grown for the thick greyish-red plumes rising above the blades on slender stalks
- The blade tips turn red in cooler temperatures
- Bloom Time: Late summer
HEIGHT: 60-75 cm · SPREAD: 40-50 cm
Pennisetum alopecuroides JS Jommenik ('Lumen Gold') (PP27435)
FOUNTAIN GRASS
- Compact globe-shaped habit
- Bright golden foliage that persists throughout the summer, turning to light green in early fall
- An abundance of brown flowers appear in late summer
HEIGHT: 30-60 cm · SPREAD: 90-120 cm