‘Hanse Herms’ Red Switch Grass
Panicum virgatum ‘Hanse Herms’ aka ‘Haense Herms’
Plant Details
USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 4a-9b Find Your Zone
Plant Type: Ornamental Grass
Height at Maturity: 4-5′
Width at Maturity: 3′
Spacing: 30-36″ for mass plantings, 6’+ for space between plants
Spacing: 30-36″ for mass plantings, 6’+ for space between plants
Growth Habit / Form: Clumping, Grassy, Upright, Vertical
Growth Rate: Moderate to Fast
Flower Color: Plum color
Flower Size: Small in large clouds (panicles)
Flowering Period: Mid-Summer through Winter
Flower Type: Airy cloud
Fragrant Flowers: No
Foliage Color: Blue-Green
Fragrant Foliage: No
Berries: No
Berry Color: na
Sun Needs: Full to Mostly Sun
Water Needs: Average
Soil Type: Clay, Loam, Sandy, Silty
Soil Moisture / Drainage: Moist But Well Drained to Boggy, tolerates dry periods when established
Soil pH: 6.0 – 8.0
Maintenance / Care: Very Low
Attracts: Visual Attention, Birds
Resistances: Deer, Disease, Heat, Humidity, Insect, Rabbits, Wet Soil
Description
Winner of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society, of provides four-season interest in the landscape, ‘Hanse Herms’ Switch Grass is a robust grower featuring gracefully arching steely blue foliage tipped in red that turns to vibrant burgundy-red all over as the season progresses. Hanse Herms forms an impressive upright and narrow fountain-like clump to around 4 feet tall and maybe 3 feet wide that is topped in summer by clouds of pretty pink flowers that turn to buff color as they age. The flower panicles persist for months and are excellent for cutting and use in cut flower arrangements. Winter brings a fourth season of enjoyment as the rustling grass also turns to buff color. A major asset to wildlife, quail and songbirds gobble up the tiny seeds and will use the sturdy foliage clumps as a cold weather shelter.
Landscape & Garden Uses
Growing 4 to 5 feet tall and about 3 feet wide, Hanse Herms Red Switch Grass provides fine texture and color in the landscape and is excellent for use as a vertical accent. Also ideal for use in groupings or as a natural hedge in sunny landscape borders, in mass on slopes, or as a background or centerpiece in perennial borders, bird and wildlife gardens, native plant gardens, prairies, meadows or naturalized areas. Because it tolerates a constantly moist it’s also an excellent choice for water gardens, bog gardens and along the edges of ponds and lakes.
Spacing: 30 inches apart for mass plantings; 6 feet or more apart for space between plants
How To Measure for Total Square Feet
How Many Plants to Fill a Planting Area
Growing Preferences
Switch Grass is very easy to grow in a wide range of soils, even clay, sandy and dry soils, though they prefer the soil to be moist. They don’t like an organically rich soil so there’s no need to add compost or humus to the native soil when planting. Grows best in full sun but will tolerate some light shade. Too much shade and plants might become floppy. Maintenance is minimal. Cut clumps back to the ground in late winter before new growth begins to emerge.
Helpful Articles
Click on a link below to get helpful advice from our experts on how to plant, fertilize, prune and water Switch Grasses.
How To Plant And Care For Switch Grass Plants
How To Measure for Total Square Feet
How Many Plants to Fill a Planting Area
Plant Long & Prosper!
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