bitter switchgrass
Panicum amarum
USDA zones2 to 9
SunNeeds full sun (6+ hours)
WaterHandles dry to moist soil
Size3 to 4 feet tall2 to 3 feet wide
- Habit
- Grass/grass-like
- Bloom season
- Summer, autumn, winter
- Bloom color
- White , orange , green
- Foliage color
- Blue, gray/silver, green
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay, chalk
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Bitter switchgrass (Panicum amarum) is a grass for borders, containers, meadows, and rain gardens. It is hardy to USDA zone 2, or down to -50°F (-46°C). This plant likes full sun and dry to moist soil of most types. It grows 35 to 47 inches tall with blue, gray, and green leaves. Butterflies, bees, and birds visit it, and it tolerates drought and salt.
Pairs well with Antiquity cosmos, Emerald Pink moss phlox, and Golden tickseed.
Native range
AL, CT, DE, FL, and 15 more places. See all 19
AL, CT, DE, FL, GA, LA, MA, MD, MS, NC, NJ, NM, NY, PA, RI, SC, TX, VA, and WV.