Shenandoah Switchgrass
Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah'
Compact switchgrass that blushes red by midsummer and turns deep burgundy by September. Handles wet, dry, clay, or sand without complaint.
Typically 1 pint–1 gal · $9–$30 · final price at pickup
- Thu, Aug 138 AM – 4 PM
- Fri, Aug 148 AM – 4 PM
- Sat, Aug 158 AM – 2 PM
Early fall red color, compact size, and near-total site adaptability make this the switchgrass for designed garden borders.
'Shenandoah' is the Switchgrass that earns space in the front of the border. Compact, upright, and one of the earliest to develop fall red color. By midsummer the lower leaves are already blushing, and by September the whole plant is a deep burgundy-red that holds through the first frosts. The airy red flower panicles in summer add a second layer of interest before the foliage color peaks. It handles a wide range of conditions with the adaptability that makes switchgrass a backbone prairie plant: wet soils, dry soils, clay, sand, full sun, or light shade. It adjusts without complaint. Rain garden edges, sunny borders, and mixed perennial beds all work. The compact size keeps it manageable in garden settings without the aggressive spread of taller switchgrass selections. Songbirds work the seeds through fall and winter. Cut it back to 4 inches in late winter. The tightly vase-shaped form holds all season without staking, even in moderately windy sites.
A nursery-grown plant, ready for the ground.
Healthy, container-grown shenandoah switchgrass propagated on-site at Hill House from regional genetics. Includes a one-page care card. We make every effort to supply plants as listed; occasionally we substitute a similar species of equal value.
Plant shenandoah switchgrass instead of Miscanthus (Miscanthus sinensis). Same job in the garden, without the spread.
- Sun
- Full sun
- Water
- Average
- Mature size
- 2–4 ft · 18–30 in wide
- USDA zones
- 4–9
- Family
- Poaceae
- Native range
- Eastern North America (species); cultivar selected for compact habit and early red coloration
Care notes for shenandoah switchgrass.
Plant in full sun to light shade in wet to dry, adaptable soil. Handles standing water and drought once established. the most adaptable Switchgrass cultivar for varied sites. Cut back to 4 inches in late winter. Self-seeds minimally. No fertilizer needed; rich soil promotes floppy growth.
Pairs well with these.
Same light, same soil, same wildlife. Janet's picks to plant alongside shenandoah switchgrass.
Or skip the guesswork.
Curated packages bundle complementary species for an instant habitat. One reservation, one pickup day, a printed layout map.
Short on Space Package
For gardeners who have an abundance of passion but are short on space, this package features tidy, upright, clump-forming natives that behave and function well in small spaces.
Shade Bed Package
Ferns, sedges, and woodland natives that thrive under existing trees.
Birder’s Paradise Package
For the avid bird watchers and budding ornithologists in our community, the Birder’s Paradise Package consists of species that Hill House Nursery staff and longtime native plant advocates such as Doug Tallamy consider ‘premier bird garden plants’.