Prairie Sky Switchgrass
Prairie Sky switchgrass is an upright ornamental grass with powdery blue leaf blades. In midsummer, airy, branched seedheads rise above the leaves like a pink cloud.
The leaves turn bright yellow in the fall and fade to brown in the winter. Prairie Sky is similar to 'Heavy Metal' except it's taller and more blue.
This is a beautiful, low-maintenance ornamental grass for the Pikes Peak Region.
Prairie Sky Switchgrass
Prairie Sky switchgrass is an upright ornamental grass with powdery blue leaf blades. In midsummer, airy, branched seedheads rise above the leaves like a pink cloud.
The leaves turn bright yellow in the fall and fade to brown in the winter. Prairie Sky is similar to 'Heavy Metal' except it's taller and more blue.
This is a beautiful, low-maintenance ornamental grass for the Pikes Peak Region.
Plant details
Botanic Name
Panicum virgatum 'Prairie Sky'
Pronunciation
PAN-ih-kum vir-GA-tum
Mature Height
3 to 5 ft.
Mature Spread
18 to 24 in.
Water usage
One Droplet: Water twice per month or less, once established.
Two Droplets: Water about once per week, once established.
Three Droplets: Water about twice per week, once established.
Flower Color
shiny pink
Bloom time
fall
Colorado Native
Yes
Natural Habitat
species is native to most of the United States
Light Requirements
sun
Cold Hardiness
USDA zones 4-9
Elevation Limit
hardy to 7,000 ft.
Performance
Prairie Sky switchgrass is an excellent ornamental grass at the Water Wise Demonstration Garden. Its leaves are a beautiful color, and it rarely needs dividing. It is one of the latest ornamental grasses to begin growing in the spring and performs best in hot weather. It is also well adapted to sandy soils.
Maintenance
Cut old stems and leaves to ground level in spring before new growth appears.