Shenandoah Switchgrass

Shenandoah Switchgrass is one of the most celebrated and widely planted ornamental grasses of recent decades, prized for its exceptional, early-developing red foliage coloration that gives the plant a spectacular appearance from midsummer through fall and into winter. Unlike many red-foliage grasses that develop color only in fall, Shenandoah begins showing red tips and tones as early as July, deepening to rich burgundy-red by fall. Growing 3 to 4 feet tall with a narrow, upright, vase-shaped habit, this well-behaved switchgrass is ideal for borders, massed plantings, and rain gardens. Airy, reddish flower panicles emerge in late summer above the colored foliage. Shenandoah thrives in full sun and adapts to a wide range of soil types, including wet and clay soils.