Growing guide · Grasses

Panicum virgatum

How to grow Switch Grass 'Totem Pole'.

Steel blue, ramrod straight.

Light
Full sun, part sun
Water
Low
Zones
4–9
Size
4–6 ft tall, 2–3 ft wide
Spacing
2–3 ft apart; a row makes a neat summer screen.
Pets
Not on the ASPCA pet-safe list; keep it out of reach
See sizes · from $67.99
Tall upright switch grass with powder-blue blades and airy golden seed heads

Light

Full sun keeps it stiff and blue.

Water

Water weekly the first season. Then drought tolerant.

Planting and soil

Plant in spring or early fall, crown at soil level.

Feeding

None.

Pruning

Cut to 4–6 in. in late winter or early spring.

Through the year

Slow start in spring, full height by midsummer, seed heads in August, gold in fall.

If something's off

Flops only in shade or overly rich soil. Late spring emergence is normal.

Plays well with

Plant it with friends.

Coneflower 'Cheyenne Spirit'
Echinacea hybridConeflower 'Cheyenne Spirit' from $30.99
Russian SageSold out · notify me
Salvia yangiiRussian Sage from $21.99 Notify me when it's back
Stonecrop 'Neon'
Hylotelephium spectabileStonecrop 'Neon' from $31.99

Why we stock it: A native grass with strong vertical lines and real blue color.

Grows wild in 35 states (USDA PLANTS records). About 24 native butterfly and moth species use Panicum as a host (Narango et al. 2020).

That's everything we know about growing it. Thanks for reading.

Know someone with the right spot? Send them this.

Next
Find your next plant →
All grasses →How we label →

Kits with Switch Grass 'Totem Pole'.

All plant kits →
The Grass Party Ornamental grass kit The Grass Party Movement, sound and winter interest. Maiden grassSwitchgrassFountain grassZones 5–96 plants · $278.944 × 10 ft bed
The Sunday Tip · every Sunday

One good plant idea,
every Sunday.

What to plant this week in your zone, every Sunday. New ways to plant and odd tricks that actually work.