Is Switchgrass deer resistant?
Panicum virgatum
About Switchgrass
Ornamental grasses are broadly deer-resistant and switchgrass is among the most reliable, ignored even in bad winters. Native across most of North America, which is unusual for a grass this widely planted. It stands through snow, holds seed heads for birds, and turns gold or burgundy depending on the cultivar. Cut it to the ground in late winter, before new growth starts. Leaving the old stems up through winter is the point of growing it, so resist tidying in autumn. It flops in rich soil and shade. Poor dry ground in full sun produces the upright plant people want; a fed, watered switchgrass falls open from the centre after the first heavy rain in August.
Soil and care
- Soil pH
- 5.5 to 7.5
- Drainage
- Average garden soil
- Water
- Low
- Fertility
- Low
- Spacing
- 24 to 35 in apart
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Maintenance
- Low
Tolerances and uses
- Drought
- High
- Salt
- High
- Pollinators
- Low
- Erosion control
- Rain gardens
- Coastal sites
- Attracts birds
What to plant it with
Similar to Switchgrass
Other ornamental grasss with the same deer rating.
- Big BluestemAndropogon sp.Zones 3–9, genus rangeRarely damaged
- Blue FescueFestuca glaucaZones 4–8Rarely damaged
- Blue Oat GrassHelictotrichon sempervirensZones 4–8Rarely damaged
- Clump BambooFargesia sp.Zones 5–9, genus rangeRarely damaged
- Feather Reed GrassCalamagrostis sp.Zones 4–9, genus rangeRarely damaged
- Fountain GrassPennisetum alopecuroidesZones 6–9Rarely damaged
Where Switchgrass grows
Hardy across most of these 50 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering.
- Pennsylvanianative
- New Jerseynative
- New Yorknative
- Connecticutnative
- Massachusettsnative
- Virginianative
- Marylandnative
- Michigannative
- Wisconsinnative
- Ohionative
- Indiananative
- Illinoisnative
- Minnesotanative
- Missourinative
- North Carolinanative
- Tennesseenative
- Georgianative
- Texasnative
- Coloradonative
- California
- Oregon
- Washington
- New Hampshirenative
- Vermontnative
- Mainenative
- Rhode Islandnative
- Delawarenative
- West Virginianative
- Kentuckynative
- South Carolinanative
- Floridanative
- Alabamanative
- Mississippinative
- Louisiananative
- Arkansasnative
- Oklahomanative
- Kansasnative
- Nebraskanative
- Iowanative
- South Dakotanative
- Montananative
- Wyomingnative
- Idahonative
- Utahnative
- Nevadanative
- Arizonanative
- New Mexiconative
- Alaska
- District of Columbianative
- Hawaii
Highlighted states are within its native range according to the USDA PLANTS database, where it is native to 46 US states in total.
Browse from here
Every list Switchgrass belongs to.
Hardy in these zones
Common questions about Switchgrass
- Is Switchgrass deer resistant?
- Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is rated Rarely Damaged on the Rutgers NJAES four-tier scale. Deer almost always leave this alone.
- What hardiness zones does Switchgrass grow in?
- Switchgrass is hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
- Does Switchgrass grow in shade?
- No. Switchgrass wants full sun and will grow thin and flop in shade.
- How big does Switchgrass get?
- Mature height is roughly 36–84 in. Growth rate is fast.
- When does Switchgrass bloom?
- Switchgrass flowers from August–October.