Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah' | Red Switchgrass | Native Ornamental Grass | Burgundy Fall Foliage | Deer Resistant | 1 Gallon Live Plant

Create striking year-round interest with Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah', an award-winning native switchgrass prized for its dramatic burgundy foliage, graceful pink flower plumes, and brilliant fall color. This upright ornamental grass begins the season with fresh green leaves tipped in red, gradually deepening to rich burgundy before finishing in spectacular shades of scarlet and orange during autumn.

In mid to late summer, airy reddish-pink flower panicles rise above the foliage, creating movement and texture while attracting beneficial pollinators. As the blooms mature into golden seed heads, they provide lasting winter interest and food for songbirds.

A North American native prairie grass, 'Shenandoah' is exceptionally adaptable, thriving in a wide variety of soils while tolerating heat, drought, clay, seasonal moisture, road salt, and deer browsing. Its upright clumping habit makes it an excellent choice for modern landscapes, rain gardens, native plantings, privacy screens, and mixed perennial borders.

🌾 Key Features

• ❤️ Brilliant burgundy-red foliage
• 🌸 Airy pink flower panicles
• 🍂 Outstanding red and orange fall color
• 🌿 Native North American ornamental grass
• 🦌 Deer resistant
• 🐦 Winter seed heads provide food for birds
• ☀️ Heat and drought tolerant once established
• 🌱 Low-maintenance perennial

🌿 Plant Details

• Botanical Name: Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah'
• Common Name: Shenandoah Switchgrass
• Plant Type: Herbaceous Perennial Ornamental Grass
• Foliage Color: Green with Red Tips, Maturing to Burgundy
• Flower Color: Pink to Reddish Pink
• Bloom Season: Mid-Summer through Fall
• Mature Height: 4–5 Feet
• Spread: 2–3 Feet
• Growth Habit: Upright Clumping
• Light Requirements: Full Sun to Partial Shade
• Water Needs: Moderate
• Soil: Adaptable to Clay, Sandy, Loamy, and Average Well-Drained Soils
• Hardiness Zones: USDA 4–9
• Characteristics: Native Plant, Deer Resistant, Salt Tolerant, Wet Soil Tolerant, Drought Tolerant, Low Maintenance, Four-Season Interest

🌼 Garden Uses

Perfect for:

• Native prairie gardens
• Modern landscapes
• Rain gardens
• Pollinator habitats
• Mass plantings
• Mixed perennial borders
• Foundation plantings
• Privacy screens
• Pond edges
• Erosion control
• Large containers
• Four-season landscapes

Its upright form adds structure, movement, and dramatic color from spring through winter.

🌸 Companion Plants

Create a stunning prairie-inspired garden by pairing with:

• Echinacea 'Tomato Soup'
• Pennisetum 'Little Bunny'
• Rudbeckia (Black-Eyed Susan)
• Asters
• Joe-Pye Weed
• Sedum 'Autumn Joy'
• Baptisia
• Russian Sage
• Coreopsis
• Little Bluestem

🌱 Care Instructions

• Plant in full sun for the deepest burgundy foliage and strongest stems.
• Adaptable to most soils, including clay and periodically wet sites.
• Water regularly during the first growing season.
• Once established, plants tolerate drought and heat exceptionally well.
• Leave flower stalks standing through winter to provide texture and bird habitat.
• Cut foliage back to 4–6 inches in late winter or early spring before new growth emerges.
• Divide every 4–5 years if needed to maintain vigor.