Switchgrass

Plant Profile
	Common Name: Switchgrass Species Name: Panicum virgatum Plant Type: Grasses & Grass-like Family Name: Poaceae, Grass Family Tribe: Paniceae, Panicgrass Tribe

Plant Profile

Common Name: Switchgrass

Species Name: Panicum virgatum

Plant Type: Grasses & Grass-like

Family Name: Poaceae, Grass Family

Tribe: Paniceae, Panicgrass Tribe

Plant Facts
Origin	Native
Duration	Perennial
Season	Warm
Distribution in the U.S.	Eastern two-thirds from Maine and Canada southwestward to Arizona, Baja California and Mexico
Distribution in Oklahoma	Western two-thirds of the state

ID Characteristics

Field Identification Characteristics
Vegetative
- Robust grass with broad blades
- Triangular tuft of hair at the base of blades
- Typically in clonal bunches
Floral
- Seed head large and open with stiffly upright branches
- Solitary, dorsally compressed seed heads at the end of each branch
Leaf and Stem Characteristics
- Plant Height: 80-200 centimeters
- Ligule Type: Ciliate membranous
- Sheath: Glabrous
- Leaves: Cauline
Floral Characteristics
- Inflorescence Type: Panicles
- Florets Per Spikelet: 2
- Glumes: Unequal; upper glumes longer than lemmas

Habitat/Ecology
Soil Type	Various, moist soils
Habitat	Floodplains, open words and rocky streambeds
Successional Stage	Mid to late

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