Big Bluestem
Andropogon gerardii
The towering 'turkey-foot' grass that once defined the tallgrass prairie, head-high by fall.
- Full sun
- Dry to wet
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
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- Plant guide
- Switchgrass
Airy pink-gold panicles
Ornamental grass
Switchgrass
Panicum virgatum
An upright, clumping grass with a summer haze of pink seed heads and reliable golden fall color.
the Northeastthe Mid-Atlanticthe Southeastthe Midwestthe Great Plainsthe South-Central region
Growing Switchgrass
Endlessly adaptable — wet or dry, clay or sand, even road salt. Cultivars like 'Northwind' stay strictly vertical for a hedge-like screen. It’s deer-resistant, drought-tolerant, salt-tolerant, good fall color, and good for winter interest.
Where it grows
Switchgrass is native to the Northeast. In the wild you’ll find it across Alabama · Arkansas · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · Florida · Georgia · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa and 32 more states. Always confirm it suits your specific county with your state native plant society before planting.
Regional Garden shows Switchgrass on 42 state pages.
Good for
Sourcing
Where to buy Switchgrass
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.
Plant it with
Companions & kin.
Natives that share Switchgrass’s range and conditions.
Indian Grass
Sorghastrum nutans
Tall golden plumes catch the autumn light above a classic tallgrass-prairie planting.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
The backbone grass of the prairie — blue-green in summer, glowing copper and silver all winter.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Fall color
Prairie Dropseed
Sporobolus heterolepis
The most refined native grass — a fountain of fine emerald threads that turn amber in fall.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–3 ft
- Fall color