Grasses

Panicum virgatum ?Prairie Sky?

Thin, blue-green foliage is accented with silvery-white plumes. Dense, clumping. USDA 4-9

Pennisetum orientale 'Karley Rose'

Dark, smoky rose-purple flower spikes. Deep green arching foliage. USDA 5-8

Panicum virgatum 'Dallas Blues'

White, feathery plumes are tinged with purple. Rich-green foliage. USDA 5-9

Panicum virgatum 'Rotstrahlbusch'

Rich-green foliage is tipped with dark-red. Reddish-white plumes appear in summer. USDA 5-9

Muhlenbergia capillaris

Pink Muhly Grass | Airy pink blooms. Fine, threadlike foliage. Native. USDA 5-9

Panicum virgatum

Height: 5 feet

Spread: 3 feet

Sunlight: full sun partial shade

Hardiness Zone: 2b

Ornamental Features:

Switch Grass features airy plumes of rose flowers rising above the foliage in mid summer. The brick red seed heads are carried on showy plumes displayed in abundance from late summer to mid fall. Its grassy leaves are green in color. The foliage often turns yellow in fall.

Landscape Attributes:

Switch Grass is an herbaceous perennial grass with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cut back to the ground in late winter before active growth resumes. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Switch Grass is recommended for the following landscape applications:

- Accent
- Mass Planting
- General Garden Use

Planting & Growing:

Switch Grass will grow to be about 4 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. It tends to be leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and should be underplanted with lower-growing perennials. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 15 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under typical garden conditions. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for alkaline soils, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is native to parts of North America. It can be propagated by division.

Panicum virgatum

Green foliage. Pink blooms. Upright clumping. Native. USDA 5-9

Pennisetum orientale 'Karley Rose'

Dark, smoky rose-purple flower spikes. Deep green arching foliage. USDA 5-8

Muhlenbergia capillaris

Airy pink blooms. Fine, threadlike foliage. Native. USDA 5-9

Muhlenbergia capillaris

Airy pink blooms. Fine, threadlike foliage. Native. USDA 5-9

Sporobolus heterolepis

Plant Height: 24 inches

Flower Height: 3 feet

Spread: 3 feet

Sunlight: full sun, partial shade

Hardiness Zone: 2a

Description:
Native to the Great Plains and Prairies, this extremely fine-textured grass features airy plumes of fine seed heads floating over the grassy foliage in the late season; ideal for restoration projects and flowing hummocky accents in the urban landscape

Ornamental Features:
Prairie Dropseed features delicate plumes of orange flowers rising above the foliage from late summer to early fall. The tan seed heads are carried on showy plumes displayed in abundance from early to late fall. Its threadlike leaves are light green in color. As an added bonus, the foliage turns a gorgeous harvest gold in the fall.

Landscape Attributes:
Prairie Dropseed is an open herbaceous perennial grass with a shapely form and gracefully arching stems. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Prairie Dropseed is recommended for the following landscape applications:
- Mass Planting
- General Garden Use
- Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens

Planting & Growing:
Prairie Dropseed will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity extending to 3 feet tall with the flowers, with a spread of 3 feet. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under typical garden conditions. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is native to parts of North America.