Panicum virgatum Hänse Herms - Switchgrass

Panicum virgatum 'Hänse Herms' is a variety with a compact habit and exceptional summer and autumn colours. It is an easy-to-grow ornamental grass that has a stunning effect and is highly appreciated by landscaping professionals. Forming a dense clump, its long emerald green leaves in spring are invaded by red and orange hues in summer, before turning a dark red-burgundy colour in autumn. Its flowering is also remarkable, with dark pink-purple panicles. This variety stands out for its extreme adaptability to all kinds of soils, although not too poor. With its compact and upright habit and fabulous colours, 'Hänse Herms' is an excellent structural plant in the garden or on a patio.

Panicum virgatum belongs to the Poaceae family, which once reigned over the fertile plains of the American Midwest, providing fodder for the immense herds of wild bison. The variety 'Hänse Herms' is a more colourful and compact form of this non-spreading rhizomatous plant. This cultivar has very thin ribbon-like leaves, which differentiate it from the older cultivar 'Rotstrahlbusch'. It develops quite rapidly into dense and slightly tousled clumps, made up of culms bearing long, bluish-green ribbon-like leaves, marked by a more rigid central vein that allows the foliage to maintain its arched and flexible posture, but prevents it from tipping over in the rain. Its mature dimensions reach about 1m (3ft) in height when in flower (60 to 70cm (24 to 28in) for the foliage) and 70 to 80cm (28 to 32in) in width. Flowering occurs from August to October. Long, stiff stems emerge from the foliage, covered in panicles measuring 40cm (16in) in length. They are made up of countless small flowers tinged with a very dark pink, giving the inflorescence a feathery appearance. In October, the foliage starts to turn a dark red-burgundy colour; the colouration is even more intense if there are large temperature differences between day and night and intense sunlight. This variety changes colour early in the season.

European millet is mainly composed of annual species. Perennial species like Panicum virgatum come from America. Adapted to extreme conditions, panicum can withstand anything: drought, cold, and waterlogged soils. It is versatile and adapts to many situations in the garden. Non-suckering, this tall grass is highly appreciated at the back of slightly wild beds, or planted as a screen. It can be planted with tall wild asters, such as Aster laevis, A. turbinellus, blue asters, and Kalimeris mongolica, or even Helianthus salicifolius, H. maximilianii, and Verbena hastata. It adapts to any soil as long as it is deep. This plant is particularly well suited to coastal areas as it tolerates salt spray. Its deep root system helps to stabilize and protect the soil in winter, and enriches it with organic matter. This characteristic is used on a large scale, as it allows other plants or crops to grow on poor soils where it would not have been possible before.