Panicum Prairie Sky Switch Grass

Panicum Prairie Sky or Switch Grass Prairie Sky
As the name suggests, Panicum Virgatum Prairie Sky is a deciduous perennial grass native to the North American prairies. Prized for its upright growth habit and narrow lance-shaped leaves, this undemanding perennial offers multiple seasons of interest. For the better part of the year, it is the foliage that captures the attention: starting out blue-green, the lanceolate leaves turn to a vivid yellow-orange in the autumn. Additionally, this grass produces masses of drooping, branched panicles of small blue-green flower spikelets early in the autumn that further enhance its ornamental appeal.

Height and Spread of Panicum Prairie Sky
When fully mature, Switch Grass Prairie Sky will grow to be between 1 and 1.5 metres tall with a spread of 50 centimetres to 1 metre.

How Hardy is Panicum Prairie Sky
A tough and resilient perennial, Switch Grass Prairie Sky is fully hardy in most areas in the United Kingdom and will survive even if the temperatures drop to 15 degrees below zero. It is also considered to be generally pest and disease free.

How To Use Panicum Prairie Sky
With its upright habit and flowing colour-changing foliage, Switch Grass Prairie Sky will add both texture and architectural interest to the landscape. The tall grass blades swaying in the wind look particularly impressive when this perennial is planted en masse, and even more so in autumn, when its foliage is orange and yellow contrasted by masses of bluish flowers.

How To Care For Panicum Prairie Sky
Switch Grass Prairie Sky is an adaptable, undemanding cultivar. It needs to be planted in a sunny spot in the garden and will perform well in any moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil. For best results, cut back dead foliage and old flowered stems in the spring.