Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal'
Blue Switchgrass
Get Current Availability
Download our availability and order form for pricing, what's in stock, and future availability. Wholesale only.
Excel Download PDF Download1 (800) 203-8590 or Contact Us
Panicum virgatum ‘Heavy Metal’ is a favorite switchgrass, well-loved for its dramatic, metallic blue foliage and for its strong upright habit that remains standing straight and tall. Pink-tinted, airy blooms appear in July, highlighting the color of its blue leaves. This blue switchgrass serves as a colorful backdrop to other grasses and perennials, looks stunning in masses, and provides a focal point when used as a specimen. A cultivar of native Panicum virgatum, it is an easy choice for meadows and naturalized areas as it not picky about soil and is very drought tolerant. Panicum virgatum ‘Heavy Metal’ does best in full sun; refrain from over fertilizing. It is one of the oldest and most well-known blue cultivars of Panicum.
Zone
4-9
Growth Cycle
Warm
Features
- Native to North America
- Our Favorites
- Notable Fall Color
- Drought Tolerant
- Bioretention/Rain Gardens
- Bioswales/Vegetated swales
- Erosion control
- Meadow/Prairie Plantings
GROWER INFO & TIPS
- Growth rate: medium
- Grow in 1, 2 or 3 gallon containers
- Grow in well-drained soil
- Water needs: keep evenly moist
- Fertilizing: use a slow-release, medium-rate fertilizer
- Possible pests: leaf spot, spidermites, rust
- Overwintering: cold frame with clear poly, keep dry; can overwinter outside if moisture level is monitored
- Do not overfertilize. This causes weak growth and plants will be prone to flopping.
*Note: please adapt these suggestions as needed to accommodate your local conditions.
LANDSCAPING INFO
- Beautiful metallic-blue foliage with airy pink-hued seed heads
- Tolerant of drought and poor soil (too much water or rich soil may cause flopping)
- Good height to use as a low screen or to separate areas in the landscape; great in masses
- Grows in an erect shape adding a structural feature to garden designs
- Requires very little maintenance and no fertilizer (cut back in spring before new growth appears)
