Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal': Country Or Region Of Origin
North America
Plant Profile: Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal'
Names
Heavy Metal Blue Switch Grass
Phonetic Spelling:PAN-ih-kum ver-GAY-tum HEH-vee MEH-tal
Genus:Panicum
Species:virgatum
Family:Poaceae
This plant features striking metallic blue leaves that display vibrant colors in the fall and rarely droop. It is also tolerant of salt and shows strong resistance to deer browsing.
Growth Habit: Upright
For additional details on Panicum virgatum, please refer to further resources.
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal' Feature Summary
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal' Image Gallery
Tags
#fall color
#blue
#resistant
#fall interest
#deer resistant
Similar Plants
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal' is often confused with:
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal' Feature Summary
Attributes
North America
Flowers
Pink tones in inflorescence
Pink
Good Cut
Showy
Long-lasting
Good Dried
Summer
Fall
Winter
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Good Drainage
12 inches-3 feet
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
Clay
Sand
Fruit
Caryopsis
Leaves
Stem
Landscape
Rain Garden
Border
Mass Planting
Drought
Deer
Pollution
Wet Soil
Dry Soil
Erosion
Black Walnut
Container
Meadow
Butterflies
Songbirds
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal' Image Gallery
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal' Attributes
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal': Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal' Flowers
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal': Flower Description
Pink tones in inflorescence
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal': Flower Color
Pink
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal': Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal': Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal' Whole Plant Traits
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal': Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal': Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal': Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal' Cultural Conditions
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal': Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal': Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal': Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal': USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal': Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal' Fruit
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal': Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal' Leaves
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal': Leaf Color
Blue
Gray/Silver
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal': Hairs Present
No
Yes
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal': Leaf Feel
Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal' Stem
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal': Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal' Landscape
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal': Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal': Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal': Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal': Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Panicum virgatum 'Heavy Metal': Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
