Panicum 'Prairie Sky'

Panicum 'Prairie Sky': True Steel Blue on a Loose Arch

Powdery steel-blue blades that arch out like this grass has nowhere to be and all day to get there. 'Prairie Sky' brings the big-sky mood to a suburban lot. NO PICKUP TRUCK REQUIRED.

Plant Characteristics:

• Botanical Name: Panicum virgatum 'Prairie Sky'
• Common Name: Switch Grass
• Height: 120–150 cm (4–5 ft) in flower
• Spread: 60–90 cm (2–3 ft)
• Flowers: Airy, finely branched panicles of tiny flowers above the foliage, drying to tan
• Bloom Time: Late summer into fall (August to October)
• Foliage: Powdery steel-blue blades in an arching clump, turning butter gold in fall
• Features: Fall and winter interest

Where to Plant: Its looser, arching habit suits informal and meadow-style plantings more than formal rows. It works well on a dry, sunny slope where lawn struggles, and its blue looks best set against purple, burgundy or silver foliage.

Companion Plants: Allium atropurpureum starts the show with deep purple globes in May and June, well before the grass flowers. Leucanthemum 'Brightside' follows with white daisies at 75 to 80 cm from June to September. Phlox Super Ka-Pow™ Lavender adds lavender phlox at 45 to 50 cm through summer. The grass ties the purple, white and lavender together from August into fall.

Plant Care: Plant in full sun in average to lean, well-drained soil. Skip the fertilizer and avoid rich, wet soil. 'Prairie Sky' is less stiff than some switch grasses and can lean when it's pampered. Water through the first season while it settles in. Leave the foliage up through winter. Cut it back to about 10 cm (4 in) in early spring, before new growth begins. As a warm-season grass, it's slow to start in spring. Divide in spring every few years if the clump thins in the middle.

History: 'Prairie Sky' was a chance find in Wisconsin, spotted growing wild for its unusually blue colour, and Plant Delights Nursery credits the discovery to Roger Gettig. Its species, switch grass, was one of the main grasses of the North American tallgrass prairie.

Final Thoughts: Blue in summer, gold in fall, standing tall into winter. It's basically a whole road trip without the gas bill. PULL OVER AND PLANT IT.