Buy switch grass Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah': Delivery by Waitrose Garden

Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah'

switch grass

switch grass

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: Cut it back when it starts to look tatty. Lift and divide between mid-spring and summer.