1000 SWITCHGRASS Tall Panic Switch Grass Panicum Virgatum Red Flower Seeds

Description:

Name: Switch Grass.
Other common names include Switchgrass, Tall Panic Grass, Virginia Switchgrass, Wobsqua Grass, Tall Prairiegrass, Wild Redtop, Thatchgrass, Wand Panic Grass.
Scientific name: Panicum Virgatum.
Color: Reddish Purple.
Plant seeds: Fall sow seeds or cold stratify.
Bloom time: August – November.
Hardiness zone: 4 – 9.
Plant height: 4 – 6 feet.
Plant spacing: 3 – 4 feet.
Light requirements: Sun – Part Shade.
Soil and water preferences: Average – Dry.
Quantity: 1000 seeds.

Switch Grass is a bunchgrass native to North America, thriving in a wide range of climates and conditions from Canada to Mexico. It tolerates various temperatures and humidity levels, growing in rocky, sandy, or moist soils. Its growing season varies, lasting 3 to 8 months depending on the climate. Switch Grass is cold hardy to Zone 4 and will reseed across all zones. It provides a valuable habitat for wildlife, with seeds that are consumed by songbirds and large game birds like pheasants, wild turkeys, and quails. Additionally, it serves as a host plant for the Delaware Skipper Butterfly.

Ornamentally, it is valued for its large flower panicles that can grow up to 2 feet long, displaying a striking reddish-purple color that turns golden brown in the fall. The grass-like leaves feature bright red tips and transform into a beautiful yellow during the fall season.

Switch Grass has various applications beyond aesthetics. It is used in biomass energy production, soil conservation to control erosion, and as ground cover. In agriculture, it serves as forage for grazing, game cover, and can be used for making biodegradable plastics. It is ideal for cattle as it can be used for hay or grazing, while it is toxic to horses, sheep, and goats. It also finds use in non-food applications like livestock bedding, straw bale housing, and as a substrate for growing mushrooms.