Our Wildflower Garden at the Arboretum has several varieties of ornamental grasses that are left to stand over the winter months. If you,too, did not cut back your ornamental grasses last fall, you will be enjoying the texture, movement, and buff color they add to a winter garden. Additionally, birds will be attracted to the seed heads over the winter. A particularly nice one is
Panicum virgatum 'Dallas Blues', commonly called Switchgrass.
Read this article
Ornamental Grasses for more suggestions.
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| Panicum virgatum 'Dallas Blues' |
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According to the NCSU FACT SHEETS some characteristics of this grass are:
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Height:
4
to 6'
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Light
Requirements: Sun
to partial shade
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Soil/Moisture:
Tolerant
of moist or dry soil |
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Form/Texture:
Moderate
texture; dense, upright, open clump
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Inflorescence:
Open
panicles of dark red to purple in late summer and fall; shiny red seeds
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Comments: Bluish
cast in summer; reddish fall color; fast spreading by rhizomes; vigorous |
