With its distinctive upright habit and four-season interest, ‘Northwind’ is a versatile addition to many landscape designs. (Photo by Ginny Rosenkranz)
Panicum virgatum Northwind is a cultivar of switch grass, a native, clump-forming perennial ornamental grass that thrives on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
As a warm-season grass, it grows new foliage from its roots each spring as the soil warms, reaches its mature height during the growing season, and becomes dormant during the cold winter months. ‘Northwind’ typically grows 4-5 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide.
It prefers full sun and adapts to a wide range of soil conditions, especially medium to well-drained sandy soils.
Avoid overly rich soils with excessive nutrients, as they can encourage floppy growth rather than the strong, upright form that makes this cultivar so attractive.
The foliage grows in a dense, narrow column, with olive-green to blue-green leaves that create a strong vertical accent in the landscape.
In late summer, delicate, pink-tinged flower panicles rise above the foliage, creating an airy, cloud-like appearance.
These flowers develop into tiny seed heads that provide food for birds, especially during the winter months.
The flowers also attract butterflies and other beneficial insects.
As autumn arrives, the foliage turns yellow, adding seasonal color and texture to the winter landscape.
With its distinctive upright habit and four-season interest, ‘Northwind’ is a versatile addition to many landscape designs.
Plant it as a single accent to create a focal point or group several plants together to form an attractive screen or informal privacy hedge. It also works beautifully in meadow gardens, drought-tolerant landscapes, and along the edges of rain gardens where the soil is well drained. Maintenance is simple.
In early spring, cut back the previous year’s foliage close to the ground before the new growth begins.
This allows fresh foliage to emerge and keeps the plant looking neat and vigorous throughout the growing season.
For gardeners seeking a native ornamental grass that provides structure, seasonal beauty, and wildlife benefits with minimal maintenance, Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’ is an excellent choice for the Eastern Shore landscape.
(Editor’s Note: Ginny Rosenkranz is a commercial horticulture specialist with the University of Maryland Extension.)
