Bitter Switchgrass Panicum amarum

Bitter switchgrass is a warm-season ornamental perennial beach grass in the Poaceae family. It is native to sandy dunes and shores in coastal areas from Connecticut to Florida to Texas. Var. amarulum can be found in the same areas, as well as sandflats and sandhills  It prefers well-drained, dry to medium moisture soils performing well even in infertile sandy loams. This plant is used as a dune stabilizer along the southern NC coast.

It is a clumping grass and spreads by rhizomes.  Cut it back to the ground in late winter to early spring to maintain an attractive shape. It naturalizes easily in the landscape or makes a great addition to a rain garden, or border. It is low water use, low maintenance plant that tolerates dry soils, drought, and air pollution.  This grass is also highly salt tolerant.

Seasons of Interest:

    Bloom: Fall-Winter, September- Feb

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  No serious insect or disease problems. Too much organic material added to the soil can cause it to flop over. It tolerates light shade, but begins to lose form in too much shade, growing more openly and possibly falling over. 

Propagation: Rhizomes