Panicum Instead of Miscanthus – Spring Switcheroo’s!

Gardening

Switchgrass (Panicum spp.) vs. Maidenhair Grass (Miscanthus spp.)

With large plumes of fluffy seed heads, this grass’s seed (when viable) is easily picked up by the wind and spread far distances. Since its introduction in the late 19th century, large stands of the species of this grass (not ornamental cultivars) have self-seeded along roadsides, forest margins and disturbed sites. According to nps.gov, 50+ ornamental cultivars of Miscanthus sinensis are sold in the U.S. nursery trade, luckily most set little or no seed due to self-incompatibility, meaning that pollen from other forms is needed in order to produce viable seed.

Miscanthus sinensis is chosen over other grasses often because it is extremely tolerant and can adapt to a wide variety of soil and moisture conditions. Miscanthus prefers full sun, limiting its advance into woodland areas though, luckily. It is also one of the strongest grass stalks and will remain upright after multiple snowfalls in winter, which provides nice winter interest. Most of the grass blades have sharp edges that cause multiple “paper-cut” type scratches when cutting back this grass/dividing/etc. Only use ornamental cultivars of this grass species – and be sure that they aren’t easy spreaders.

But, why not just use a native ornamental grass in place of Miscanthus in our landscapes?

Panicum virgatum can tolerate wet and dry soil conditions and some cultivars grow very tall, just like its foreign competitor. Panicum remains very stiff throughout the winter as well and can tolerate part-shade conditions better than Miscanthus. It was once an important component of our tallgrass prairies that were spread throughout our region.

Switchgrass usually turns a vibrant yellow hue with orange tinges in autumn, althought there are some cultivars now that turn a brilliant red/maroon, such as ‘Shenandoah’. Another fantastic cultivar is ‘Ruby Ribbons’ dark, purple/maroon streaks are present on the foliage throughout the season and pinkish-purple colored seed heads form late summer-early fall that are simply stunning.

Panicum spp. seed heads hover over the foliage like an airy cloud. Their flower panicles turn beige as the seeds mature in fall, and the showy seed heads persist well into winter. Panicum seeds are a great food source for birds in the wintertime.

Other native grass alternatives to Miscanthus include: Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardi), Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), and Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans).

So, we ask you to be an informed and environmentally-friendly gardener and do your part to keep these potential invasive species from overwhelming our native woodlands! If these plants are already present, please consider removal and replacement with a native alternative.

Contact Us today to look at plants we would all like to see removed!