Plant of the Month
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| August 2010 - PanicumIn the heat of August, when people are relaxing at the beach and around their pools, grasses come into their glory as significant landscape plants. The options are enormous, with tremendous variation in size, foliage color, site tolerance and seed head form. One family in particular stands out as perfect for New Jersey: the Panicums or Switchgrasses.
This native grass (zone 4 to 9) handles a wide variety of locations, growing easily from the plains of the Midwest and Southeast to the coastal areas of the Eastern seaboard, and almost anywhere in between. Its preference is sunny, moderate to dry sites, and it performs beautifully in containers. The heights vary from 3’ to 8’, depending on the cultivar and the seed heads are showy from late July into the winter. The foliage colors vary from green through powdery blue, with several forms having beautiful burgundy tips. Fall color starts out yellow to bronze, depending on the selection, and turns to a soft, attractive fawn for the duration of the winter. Among the many cultivar selections made over the last number of years, there are several standouts which are particularly worthy of note. Cheyenne Sky: a 3’ grass with blue-green foliage topped with burgundy tips. As the summer progresses, the reddish-purple color deepens in intensity. The contrast of the blue-green and the burgundy is striking all summer. Cloud 9: the tallest of the Panicums at 8’ when in flower, its foliage is green, topped by a mass of airy yellow and green seedheads which catch the morning dew and the evening sunlight beautifully. Dallas Blues: this 6’ switchgrass has broad powder blue leaves, topped by the showiest seedheads of the species, in shades of blue, purple and orange. It has a more open habit than many Panicums, so give it lots of room. Heavy Metal: 4 1/2’ and a stiff upright habit make this blue grass an easy and striking plant to use in a smaller landscape. It was introduced by Kurt Bluemel many years ago, and has proven to be very drought tolerant. Northwind: this 6’ blue-green grass is very columnar and tidy, with excellent applications for both the landscape and containers. The leaves are broader than Heavy Metal, and the panicles are delicate and airy. Its resistance to foliage diseases is excellent, as is its drought tolerance. Shenandoah: 3’ and slowly spreading, this National Arboretum introduction makes a wonderful tall groundcover for sunny dry areas. The green leaves are tipped with burgundy and the color intensifies as the summer moves towards fall. The panicles are smaller than the taller cultivars, but delicate and airy. The fall color is a wine-burgundy which is particularly stunning when backlit by morning or evening light. All the switchgrasses are deer resistant, as well as drought tolerant. The seeds provide winter food for wildlife, and the strong stems and tan leaves add a lovely element of color and movement to the winter landscape. There are few perennials that can equal the length of show that Panicums provide, and their native plant status should improve their acceptance in any landscape. |