Panicum virgatum Shenandoah
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Shenandoah is the switch grass grown for color. Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah' starts the season green, takes on burgundy at the tips by midsummer, and deepens to a wine red that runs down the whole blade by fall. It grows 3 to 4 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide in full sun, hardy from Zone 4 through Zone 8, and reaches full size in its second season.
Airy reddish-pink flower panicles float above the foliage from late summer, fine enough to read as a haze rather than a plume, and they hold on the plant well into winter. The whole clump fades to a warm tan and stands through snow.
Songbirds feed on the seedheads through the cold months, and switch grass feeds several skipper butterfly caterpillars.
Switch grass is a prairie species and performs best in lean conditions. Rich soil and heavy watering make it flop, so full sun and average to poor ground give the sturdiest plants. It handles drought, salt, and clay, and it will take periodic wet feet as well, which is a wider tolerance than most ornamental grasses. Space plants 24 to 30 inches apart. Deer leave it alone.
Height 3'- 4' Spread 2'- 3'
USDA Hardiness Zones 4-8
Lowest Temperatures -30°F to -20°F
Full sun - more than 6 hours of direct sun per day
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