Plant native switch grass in the landscape

Switch grass is also a beautiful backdrop for flowering plants. Photos Courtesy of The Planter's Palette

Ornamental grasses are celebrating their season to star in the landscape. Summer heat and generous rainfall have promoted lush growth and showy seed heads. There are many kinds of ornamental grasses worthy of a spot in your garden, but one of my favorites is switch grass.

Panicum virgatum, commonly called switch grass, grew natively in the tallgrass prairie with neighboring plants like bluestem, indiangrass, bee balm, black-eyed Susans, gayfeather and coneflowers. Now it may be discovered naturalizing along highways, beside streams and railroad tracks, in wildflower meadows, and prairie vestiges.

In our landscapes, switch grass is ideally used as a contrasting shape and texture in mixed shrub or perennial borders. It can be employed to screen unwanted views or create privacy, planted in rain gardens or on steep banks to control erosion, and utilized in meadows or prairie plantings.

The rigid, upright form of switch grass endures strong winds, heavy rain and snow if it is planted in average soil and full sun. It provides three seasons of interest; its elegant form shows off pink-tinted flowers in summer, beige seed heads hover over yellow foliage in fall, and in winter, switch grass not only adds interest to the landscape, it also provides food and protective cover for wildlife.

It doesn't require much in the way of maintenance -- just cut stems back to within inches of the ground before growth starts in the spring. If seedlings appear, remove them before they develop their deep, extensive root system.

One of the author's favorite plant combinations is switch grass and Joe-Pye weed. -

My admiration for Panicum virgatum is apparent. Now that you, too, want one (or many) in your yard, which variety should you plant? Here are some of my favorites.

Dallas Blues boasts wide, baby blue leaves. In August, very large clusters of mauve flowers float over the foliage. It grows 6 to 8 feet tall and 3 feet wide. Use Dallas Blues to screen unwanted views or plant it with tall summer-blooming perennials like Joe-Pye weed.

The metallic blue leaf blades of Heavy Metal reach more than 3 feet tall. Its delicate, pink tinted flowers waft a foot or more above the foliage. Heavy Metal is lovely planted with late-blooming perennials.

Northwind was discovered by Roy Diblik of Northwind Perennial Farm in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. It has the most rigid form, growing like a soldier 5 to 6 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide. Its deep green foliage turns golden yellow in fall. Northwind is an excellent choice for hedging or use as an exclamation point in a mixed shrub border.

The foliage of Ruby Ribbons begins blue green in spring before sporting ruby red hues with summer's heat. This variety is smaller -- just 2 to 3 feet tall and wide. It shows off its reddish-pink flower panicles in September. Ruby Ribbons is spectacular planted in containers with summer and fall-flowering annuals.

Thundercloud is a very large switch grass. Strong stems displaying blue green leaves grow up to 8 feet tall and 3 feet wide. Pink-tinged flowers appear just above the foliage in late summer. Use Thundercloud as a specimen plant in the landscape.

• Diana Stoll is a horticulturist and the garden center manager at The Planter's Palette, 28W571 Roosevelt Road, Winfield. Call (630) 293-1040, ext. 2, or visit planterspalette.com.