Poaceae
Grass Family
Panicum virgatum L.
- Stem: perennial; from underground stems; 3’ to 5’ tall, smooth.
- Leaves: sheath smooth; ligule 5/32” tall, of dense hairs; blade 12” by 5/16”, narrow at the base, widening, and then tapering toward the tip to a sharp point, hairy above, especially just above the ligule.
- Inflorescence: open, branching flower stalks (panicle); 6” to 12” long.
- Spikelets: 1/8” long; upper glume longer than the floret; tips of the glumes, floret, and stigmas purple; flowering from late July to early September.
- Fruits: entire spikelet falling as a unit; fruiting begins in mid-August; spikelets begin to fall in early September.
- Habitat: common on wet to moist prairies; also on roadsides, stream banks, and other moist, open places.
- Notes: Switchgrass is commonly included in the seed mixture planted on roadside rights-of-way. Also, it is being planted as a summer pasture and on Conservation Reserve Program land. Genetically selected varieties have been developed for these purposes.
- Bibliography from Biodiversity Heritage Library
- Vascular Plants of Iowa
Can be found in these counties:
