The delicate switchgrass is a popular structural plant that inspires garden owners to come up with creative design ideas. The obvious question is whether the ornamental grass will survive the cold season unscathed. Read here what the winter hardiness of Panicum virgatum is like. This is how you accompany the long-lasting, easy-care sweet grass through the winter.
Is switchgrass hardy?
The switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) is hardy down to -23.4°C in hardiness zone Z5, provided it has a sunny, warm and wind-protected location in well-drained soil. Protect the plant from winter moisture by loosely tying it up and covering the root zone.
Location quality determines the degree of winter hardiness - what to pay attention to
Botanically, switchgrass is assigned to winter hardiness zone Z5. This range extends over temperatures from -23.4 to -28.8 degrees Celsius. Of course, this robust frost hardiness only applies in the ideal location. If you assign the ornamental grass a sunny, warm and wind-protected place, everything is fine. In heavy, loamy and permanently moist soil, the plant significantly loses its winter hardiness.
This is how switchgrass gets through the winter safely
It's not so much severe frost that bothers switchgrass, but rather constant winter wetness. With these simple measures you can ensure that your ornamental grass maintains its vitality during the cold season:
- Don’t cut back switchgrass in fall
- Instead, tie the ornamental grass loosely together with a rope
- Lay brushwood or pine fronds on the root disc to catch snow and rain
Only cut the grass back to the ground in February or March. The measure should be carried out in good time before the fresh shoots so that the fresh green stalk tips are not affected. Gather the grass into tufts with your gloved hand and cut it to a hand's width above the ground.
Container plants receive a winter coat
If switchgrass thrives in a pot, the root ball is not as well protected from bitter frost as it is deep in the ground. Therefore, place the vessel on a wooden block and cover it with several layers of jute (€12.00 on Amazon), fleece or bubble wrap. The substrate is covered with autumn leaves, peat or sawdust. Unless the location is under an overhang or similar rain protection, switchgrass in the pot should also be tied together.
Tip
The ornamental value of switchgrass is maximized when it has late-blooming perennials at its feet. Combine the ornamental grass with autumn asters, phlox or splendor and create romantic garden pictures. In the vicinity of autumn-flowering sedums or girl's eyes, the golden-yellow to red-brown color of the stalks comes into its own impressively.
