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Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah'

'Shenandoah' Switchgrass

'Shenandoah' Switchgrass

Format

Exposure

  • Sun
  • Partial shade
  • Light shade

Rusticity

4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

Bloom time

  • June
  • July
  • August
  • September
  • October

  • Red highlights
  • Fine-texture flowering
  • Adds colour, texture and contrast to layouts
  • Drought resistant
  • Tolerates a wide range of soils

Panicum 'Shenandoah' is an exceptional ornamental grass that will truly brighten up your landscaping. Its foliage, a bluish-green in spring, gradually takes on reddish hues starting in summer, culminating in a deep burgundy red in the fall.

In summer, its delicate pinkish flower panicles, although subtle, add a touch of airiness to the overall appearance. But it's undeniably its flamboyant foliage that makes Panicum 'Shenandoah' such a distinctive and sought-after plant.

Characteristics:

  • Habit: Upright and compact, forming a dense and elegant clump.
  • Height: Reaches approximately 1 to 1.2 metres in height, including the inflorescences (flower clusters).
  • Foliage: Bluish-green in spring, gradually turning red from summer onwards, becoming entirely purple-burgundy in autumn.
  • Flowering: Airy flower panicles, reddish in summer, turning beige in autumn and persisting for part of the winter.
  • Hardiness Zone: 4 to 9
  • Exposure: Prefers full sun, but tolerates light shade.
  • Soil: Adapts to a variety of well-drained soils, even dry ones.
  • Maintenance: Very easy to care for, requires little watering once established.

Uses:

  • Mass Planting: Creates a spectacular focal point in mass plantings or as a standalone specimen.
  • Borders: Provides structure to borders and adds verticality.
  • Accent: Planted on its own, it becomes a striking focal point in the landscape.
  • Container Planting: Can be grown in pots to decorate patios and balconies.

Plant details

Dimensions

Spacing
24 - 36 in.
Spread
36 - 48 in.
Height
36 - 48 in.

Characteristics

Habit:

  • Upright

Flowering colours:

  • Beige
  • Light pink

Plant needs

Watering:

  • Low to moderate

Maintenance:

  • Easy. Prune the plant in early spring to remove dead parts from the previous year. You can also cut it back a few centimeters from the ground in spring to encourage the growth of new stems.

Soil requirement:

  • Every type of soils

Features

Resistance:

  • White-tailed deer
  • Drought

Attract:

  • Birds
  • Butterflies

Use:

  • Adds colour and contrast to flower beds and clumps. Can also be used in natural gardens and meadows.

Attribute:

  • Colourful foliage in autumn

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