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Panicum virgatum Hot Rod - Switchgrass
I'm used to vine-plants, as I have ordered them from another website. I was missing a hot rod, and I ordered it from you in a 9 cm (4in) water pot. And what a disappointment, because the young plant is really fragile compared to the ones from the other supplier, which are beautiful and strong, and for a cheaper price!
Christèle, 06/03/2020
Order in the next for dispatch today!
Dispatch by letter from €3.90.
Delivery charge from €5.90 Oversize package delivery charge from €6.90.
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This plant carries a 12 months recovery warranty
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We guarantee the quality of our plants for a full growing cycle, and will replace at our expense any plant that fails to recover under normal climatic and planting conditions.
From €5.90 for pickup delivery and €6.90 for home delivery
Express home delivery from €8.90.
From €5.90 for pickup delivery and €6.90 for home delivery
Express home delivery from €8.90.
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Panicum virgatum 'Hot Rod' is undoubtedly the darkest upright Switchgrass variety, and the one with the fastest colour-changing leaves in the season. It is also a moderately growing variety, well suited for small gardens and container cultivation. Its young spring leaves are bluish-green, quickly and gradually turning red before becoming dark brown. The cloudy flowering in late summer, with shades of brown, bronze, and purple, adds extra charm to this fantastic dark grass, which is also fully hardy and easy to grow everywhere.
Panicum virgatum is a plant in the Poaceae family that once reigned over the fertile plains of the American Midwest, serving as fodder for the immense herds of wild bison. In these tall prairies, it coexisted with other tall grasses that are now cultivated for garden ornamentation: Sorghastrum nutans or Indiangrass, Andropogon gerardii or big bluestem, and Schizachyrium scoparium.
The 'Hot Rod' variety is an American selection dating from before 2012. It is a more compact and exceptionally coloured form of this non-invasive rhizomatous plant. This variety forms an upright clump composed of long ribbon-like leaves that are bluish-green, quickly and durably turning red and dark brown along almost their entire length. They are crossed by a stiffer central vein, allowing the foliage to maintain its supple but vertical habit, preventing it from drooping in the rain. Its mature dimensions will reach approximately 80 cm (32 in) to 1 m (3 ft) in height and 50-60 cm (20-24 in) in width. It blooms from August to October. Tufts of foliage emerge from long, stiff, leafy stems that protrude from the foliage, covered in airy plumes measuring 30 cm (12 in) in length, made up of countless small flowers that give a feathery appearance to the inflorescence. The flowers transition from white-pink to brown-purple and then to tawny bronze. The foliage colouration is even more intense when there are large temperature variations between day and night and intense sunlight. It starts its growth relatively late in spring and dries up at the end of autumn.
Adapted to extreme conditions, switchgrass can withstand anything: drought, cold, sea spray, and heavy and waterlogged soils. It is versatile and adapts to many situations in the garden, as well as in containers. This fabulous 'Hot Rod' variety, with its highly coloured foliage and lower habit, is highly appreciated in small gardens and in the heart of perennial or low shrub borders. It is much hardier than Pennisetum advena Rubrum and possesses comparable ornamental qualities, but unlike the latter, it is perfectly perennial and adapts to all regions, including cold, dry, or coastal areas. It can fit anywhere, adding a fabulous touch of colour to any setting.
The deep root system of Panicum virgatum helps to unclog the soil, protecting it in winter and enriching it with organic matter. This characteristic is used on a large scale, as it allows other plants or crops to grow in inhospitable soils where it would not have been possible before. Once considered a weed to be eradicated from fields in North America, Panicum virgatum is now a useful plant for the restoration or conservation of vulnerable or degraded soils. Its well-developed root system, size, and late vegetative growth enable it to protect soils against erosion by water and wind, without blocking the necessary sunlight for other spring species.
Panicum virgatum Hot Rod - Switchgrass in pictures
Flowering
Foliage
Plant habit
Botanical data
Plant Panicum virgatum in fertile, deep, moist to dry soil, and even soil that is clayey, wet or dry in summer, and in full sun. Prune the dry clump in spring when vegetation resumes. These are very robust and easy-to-grow grasses, including in coastal areas and hot and dry regions in summer. Once well established, they withstand everything except shade. Regularly water your young plants to help them establish themselves, especially in dry and hot weather. An application of well-decomposed fertiliser or compost is appreciated in spring.
Planting period
Intended location
Care
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Hardiness is the lowest winter temperature a plant can endure without suffering serious damage or even dying. However, hardiness is affected by location (a sheltered area, such as a patio), protection (winter cover) and soil type (hardiness is improved by well-drained soil).
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The flowering period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions located in USDA zone 8 (France, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, etc.)
It will vary according to where you live:
In temperate climates, pruning of spring-flowering shrubs (forsythia, spireas, etc.) should be done just after flowering.
Pruning of summer-flowering shrubs (Indian Lilac, Perovskia, etc.) can be done in winter or spring.
In cold regions as well as with frost-sensitive plants, avoid pruning too early when severe frosts may still occur.
The planting period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions located in USDA zone 8 (France, United Kingdom, Ireland, Netherlands).
It will vary according to where you live:
The harvesting period indicated on our website applies to countries and regions in USDA zone 8 (France, England, Ireland, the Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...) fruit and vegetable harvests are likely to be delayed by 3-4 weeks.
In warmer areas (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), harvesting will probably take place earlier, depending on weather conditions.
The sowing periods indicated on our website apply to countries and regions within USDA Zone 8 (France, UK, Ireland, Netherlands).
In colder areas (Scandinavia, Poland, Austria...), delay any outdoor sowing by 3-4 weeks, or sow under glass.
In warmer climes (Italy, Spain, Greece, etc.), bring outdoor sowing forward by a few weeks.