Skip to content
FloraVista

ornamental grass

Switchgrass 'Northwind'

Panicum virgatum 'Northwind'

Preview: plant data is awaiting horticulturist review. A professional horticulturist hasn't reviewed our plant table yet. Lists still follow fixed rules for zone, sun, pets, deer and invasive status.

Switchgrass 'Northwind' is an ornamental grass hardy in zones 4–9. It grows 4–6 ft tall and 2–2.5 ft wide, so plant it 2 ft apart. Give it full sun to part sun and average water, and it copes with wet soil. It is grown for its foliage rather than its flowers. In a FloraVista list it usually plays the grass role: a grass or grass-like plant that adds movement and fine texture in the middle. It is native to the Midwest, the Great Plains, the Northeast, the Mid-Atlantic, the Southeast, Texas and the South-Central states and Florida and the Gulf. Deer usually leave it alone, and it is not listed as toxic to dogs or cats.

Facts from our plant table

Botanical name
Panicum virgatum 'Northwind'
Plant type
Ornamental grass, herbaceous
Hardiness zones
4 to 9
Sun
Full sun (6+ hours); Part sun (4–6 hours)
Water
Medium; tolerates wet soil
Soil
Adaptable; tolerates clay, dry or wet soils.
Mature size
4–6 ft tall × 2–2.5 ft wide
Spacing
2 ft apart (centre to centre)
Growth rate
Medium
Bloom
Grown for foliage
Roles in a bed
Grass
Styles
modern, natural
Deer resistance
High: deer rarely eat it
Pets
Not listed as toxic to dogs or cats. Not on ASPCA lists for dogs or cats; switchgrass has caused photosensitivity in grazing livestock.
Native to
Midwest, Great Plains, Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Southeast, South-Central and Florida/Gulf
Pot size and price
1-gallon pot, typically $10–$18 (sometimes stocked)
Plant in
Spring or Fall
First-year watering
Water deeply once or twice a week through the first summer, more in heat; keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy. Established plants need water only in dry spells.
Pruning
Cut back to 4-6 inches in late winter before new growth starts.

Sources: Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder; state extension service fact sheets; ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant list (true grasses and sedges are not listed as toxic); Rutgers NJAES deer resistance ratings; state extension service; Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States; state noxious weed and invasive plant lists; US garden-centre and home-improvement retail listings (general knowledge, 2026 estimate); USDA PLANTS database; state extension service native plant lists. Not yet reviewed by a horticulturist.

Guides that include this plant

Good companions

The plants our list engine most often puts in the same bed as Switchgrass 'Northwind', across the sun, zone, pet, deer and style combinations it fits.

If you can't find it

Plants that do the same job and pass the same rules for the conditions Switchgrass 'Northwind' suits.

How this page was made

This page was generated from this plant's record in FloraVista's plant table by fixed rules. The companions and substitutes come from the lists our rules engine composes. No named expert has reviewed this page.

Data status: the plant table is awaiting review by a horticulturist. Check each plant with a local nursery or extension office before you buy.

Sources

  • Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder, state extension services and the USDA PLANTS database (zones, size, sun, water, bloom, native range)
  • ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists (dog and cat toxicity)
  • Rutgers NJAES and regional extension deer-resistance ratings
  • State noxious-weed and invasive-plant lists and the Invasive Plant Atlas of the US
  • Typical US garden-centre listings (pot size and price band)

Generated . How FloraVista chooses plants