Shenandoah Red Switch Grass
Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah'
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Shenandoah Red Switch Grass - #1 Container is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry is designed to protect both consumers and the nursery trade from invasive plant pests and diseases. Sites that display the Plant Sentry protection badge are protected from consumers buying and nurseries shipping material carrying invasive pests and diseases.
This proprietary eCommerce software prevents the shipment of a restricted plant to each state. The Plant Sentry system includes a shipment certification program. The Plant Sentry Compliance Officer works closely with NatureHills.com and each nursery or fulfillment center to ensure only compliant plants are sold to customers.
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Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Shipping
To obtain a more accurate shipment time-frame, simply enter your zip code in the “Find Your Growing Zone” box to the right. Our plants are grown all over the country and lead time on items may be different because of this. Once your order is placed, you will also receive the specific shipment time-frame information as part of your order confirmation. Once an item ships, you will receive shipment notification and tracking numbers, so you can follow along while your plant travels to your doorstep. We use FedEx, UPS, or USPS at our discretion.
Due to winter weather we have put a hold on shipping to the areas shown below in grey. You can still order now and we will ship the plant to you during an appropriate time for your zone.
Standard Shipping Rates
At Nature Hills we handle, package and ship the products you order with the utmost care to ensure healthy delivery. Shipping and handling charges are calculated based on the tables below. Please note that some items include an additional handling surcharge, these will be noted on the item's product page.
From | To | S&H |
---|---|---|
$0 | $19.99 | $24.99 |
$20 | $49.99 | $29.99 |
$50 | $69.99 | $34.99 |
$70 | $99.99 | $39.99 |
$100 | $129.99 | $44.99 |
$130 | $149.99 | $48.99 |
$150 | $150+ | Approx 28% |
Click here to see our full rates
Understanding Plant Options
Nature Hills offers plants in two main formats:
- Container Plants: Grown in pots with soil, sized by container volume and plant age
- Bare Root Plants: Dormant plants without soil, sized by height measurements
Container Plant Sizes
Container sizes indicate plant age and growing capacity rather than liquid volume equivalents. Our containers follow industry-standard nursery "trade gallon" specifications, which differ from standard liquid gallon measurements.
Young Plants (6 months to 18 months old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
---|---|---|
2" x 2" x 3" | 0.18 - 0.21 dry quarts | 0.20 - 0.23 dry liters |
4" Container | 0.31 - 0.87 dry quarts | 0.35 - 0.96 dry liters |
4.5" Container | 0.65 dry quarts | 0.72 dry liters |
6" Container | 1.4 dry quarts | 1.59 dry liters |
1 Quart | 1 dry quart | 1.1 dry liters |
5.5" Container | 1.89 dry quarts | 2.08 dry liters |
Established Plants (18 months to 2.5 years old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
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2 Quart | 2 dry quarts | 2.2 dry liters |
#1 Container | 2.26 - 3.73 dry quarts | 2.49 - 4.11 dry liters |
5" x 5" x 12" | 3.5 - 4.3 dry quarts | 3.85 - 4.74 dry liters |
Mature Plants (2-4 years old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
---|---|---|
#2 Container | 1.19 - 1.76 dry gallons | 5.24 - 7.75 dry liters |
#3 Container | 2.15 - 2.76 dry gallons | 8.14 - 12.16 dry liters |
Large Plants (3-5 years old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
---|---|---|
#5 Container | 2.92 - 4.62 dry gallons | 12.86 - 20.35 dry liters |
#6 Container | 5.25 - 6.01 dry gallons | 23.12 - 26.42 dry liters |
#7 Container | 5.98 - 6.53 dry gallons | 26.34 - 28.76 dry liters |
Bare Root Plants
Bare root plants are sold by height from the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may exceed minimum height requirements.
Common Sizes:
- Trees: 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet
- Shrubs & Perennials: 1 foot, 18 inches, 2 feet
Important Notes
Container Volume Specifications
- Trade Gallon Standard: Our containers follow industry-standard "trade gallon" specifications established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z60.1) for nursery stock
- Volume Variations: Actual soil volume may vary due to plant root systems and growing medium settlement
- Age Indicators: Container size primarily indicates plant age and maturity rather than liquid volume equivalents
Growing Conditions
- Plant size can vary based on variety and growing conditions
- Container size helps indicate plant maturity and establishment level
- Larger containers generally mean more established root systems and faster landscape establishment
Seasonal Availability
- Bare root plants are available seasonally when dormant
- Container plants are available throughout the growing season
- Specific varieties may have limited availability in certain sizes
Questions?
For questions about specific plant sizes or availability, please contact our plant experts who can help you choose the right size for your landscape needs.
Plant Highlights
Shenandoah Red Switch Grass highlights at a glance!
Specifications
Specifications
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Brand
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Botanical Name
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Growing Zones
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Mature Height
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Mature Spread
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Sun ExposureFull Sun
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Moisture
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Soil
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Growth RateMedium
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Fall Color
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Pollinator Required
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Pruning Time
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Bloom PeriodSummer

Growing Zones 3-8
We love a plant that isn't finicky. No matter whether you are a master gardener or don't know the difference between a spade and a hoe, a plant that will work just about anywhere is always welcome!
Shenandoah Red Switch Grass (Panicum virgatum 'Shenandoah') is one of those plants! What kind of soil do you have? Is it average? Medium? Moist, sandy, or clay? Does it flood every now and then? Red Switch Grass will thrive there! (As a matter of fact, if your soil is too rich it might even flop a little bit. This grass wants to keep its street cred.) What about the sun? Does it beat down like the Sahara or does it play hide and seek with the garden? Shenandoah Switchgrass works in all situations!
This warm-season ornamental native grass grows in 3-5 foot wide clumps of stiff, vertical bunches of strappy leaves that gracefully curl down as the seasons progress. It starts out a silvery green, but very quickly turns red, earlier than other Panicum varieties and sometimes as early as late June! By autumn has completely blushed to the burgundy red that it is named after!
Wonderfully hardy and resistant throughout USDA growing zones 3 to 8, and adds sound, motion, and three-season beauty to the garden! Airy reddish-pink flower panicles appear in midsummer as hazy clouds floating about 3 feet above the leaves for an added bonus - especially for your cut flower bouquets as fine-textured filler!
Planting and Application:
Shenandoah Red Switch Grass fits just about anywhere in your garden! Once an important part of the tall grass prairie that covered most of the central continental USA, this native is easy to grow, easy to care for, and easy to love! For the sun or shade, water features to Rock Gardens - choose a Red Switch Grass!
This Ornamental Grass is a fine specimen plant in the border or bed, but really stands out in mass plantings! Create rows, groupings, and drifts to maximize that fall color and elegant silvery green in the growing season. Try it along a pond, in a boggy area, or by a driveway. Wherever you try it, you are sure to appreciate its beauty and ease.
Plant it in cottage gardens and perennial borders, throughout wildlife, songbird and pollinator beds, or add fiery color to your naturalized or modern prairie plantings! It will look fantastic almost anywhere whether you have a green thumb or not!
- Soft Tufts of Green Blades Turn Red By Late June
- Graceful Clumps - Wider Than Tall
- Showy Burgundy Red Fall Color
- Airy Pinkish-Red Panicles in Midsummer
- Great for Rain Gardens, Bogs & Ponds
- Widely Adaptable Warm-Season Native Prairie Grass!
#ProPlantTips for Care:
Also known as Red Switchgrass, these perennial grasses usually do best in full sun for the strongest growth and best fall color. But Red Switch Grass can also tolerate a touch of part shade. Growing very well in any kind of well-drained soil, once established these tough natives thrive in a wide range of conditions from drought to dampness! Water new plants regularly to ensure they are established, then they can handle about anything!
Prune Ornamental Grass back in the early spring and clean out its clumps. Divide every 3-5 years to maintain vigor. These warm-season grasses may be slow to get growing in the spring, but then just shine beautifully throughout heat and sun all growing season long! It's well worth the wait!
- Full Sun Is Best
- Widely Adaptable to Any Well-Drained Soil
- Widely Adaptable to Soil Moisture Once Established
- Prune Back Clumps in Early Spring
- Fast Growing & Very Easy Care
Shenandoah Switch Grass is just the adaptable and versatile Ornamental Grass you've been searching for! Order enough to fill your garden with easy-going and easy-care natives today from NatureHills.com!