Panicum virgatum 'Cloud Nine'
switch grass 'Cloud Nine'
Tall, deciduous, clump-forming, perennial grass, to 2m tall with an upright habit, and flat, linear, blue-green leaves, turning golden-yellow in autumn. Profuse airy, fine-textured sprays of tiny flowers, open green then golden, are produced from mid-summer to early autumn
Size
Ultimate height
1.5–2.5 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
1–1.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Blue Green | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Green Gold | Blue Green | ||
| Autumn | Green Gold | Blue Green Gold Yellow | ||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or ShelteredDrought resistance
Yes Hardiness
H5Botanical details
- Family
- Poaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Genus
Panicum can be annual or perennial, evergreen or deciduous grasses, with flat, narrowly lanceolate leaves, with large finely branched panicles of small spikelets in late summer or autumn
- Name status
Accepted
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in any moderately fertile, well-drained soil in full sun. See Ornamental grasses cultivation
Propagation
Propagate by division in mid-spring
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Coastal
- Cottage and informal garden
- Gravel garden
- Prairie planting
- Wildlife gardens
- Cut flowers
- Flower borders and beds
Pruning
Remove dead foliage and old flowered stems in spring
Pests
Generally pest-free
Diseases
Generally disease-free
Get involved
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