VANDERMEER

PLANT LIBRARY

Find the perfect plant for your space by browsing through this extensive selection that we typically carry every year.

This library is for information purposes only.

 
ornamental grass

Prairie Winds® Totem Pole Switch Grass

Panicum virgatum 'Totem Pole'

Add To My Wish List

Prairie Winds Totem Pole Switch Grass (Panicum virgatum 'Totem Pole') at Vandermeer Nursery

Prairie Winds® Totem Pole Switch Grass

Prairie Winds® Totem Pole Switch Grass

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Prairie Winds Totem Pole Switch Grass (Panicum virgatum 'Totem Pole') at Vandermeer Nursery

Prairie Winds® Totem Pole Switch Grass flowers

Prairie Winds® Totem Pole Switch Grass flowers

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Prairie Winds Totem Pole Switch Grass (Panicum virgatum 'Totem Pole') at Vandermeer Nursery

Prairie Winds® Totem Pole Switch Grass

Prairie Winds® Totem Pole Switch Grass

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Height:  6 feet

Spread:  28 inches

Sunlight:  full sun  partial shade 

Hardiness Zone:  3a

Group/Class:  Prairie Winds Collection

Brand:  Proven Winners

Description:

This sturdy selection forms a towering, strictly upright clump of striking steel blue foliage; golden seed heads in fall; perfect as a landscape accent, or along borders

Ornamental Features

Prairie Winds® Totem Pole Switch Grass features airy plumes of gold flowers rising above the foliage from late summer to late fall. Its attractive grassy leaves emerge grayish green in spring, turning steel blue in colour. As an added bonus, the foliage turns gorgeous shades of tan and in the fall. The gold seed heads are carried on showy plumes displayed in abundance from late summer to late fall. The steel blue stems are very colorful and add to the overall interest of the plant.

Landscape Attributes

Prairie Winds® Totem Pole Switch Grass is an herbaceous perennial grass with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cut back to the ground in late winter before active growth resumes. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Prairie Winds® Totem Pole Switch Grass is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Accent
  • Mass Planting
  • General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Prairie Winds® Totem Pole Switch Grass will grow to be about 5 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 28 inches. It tends to be leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and should be underplanted with lower-growing perennials. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 15 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under typical garden conditions. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for alkaline soils, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selection of a native North American species. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight Soil pH Preference
Characteristics
Accent  Massing  Garden 
Applications
Flowers  Fruit  Foliage Color  Fall Color  Texture  Bark 
Ornamental Features

** Plants listed may not be in stock at all times. **

Please contact us directly for current stock availability.
 
Our inventory varies seasonally and we cannot guarantee that every plant will be in stock at all times. To confirm if we have the plant that you're looking for, please call (905) 427-2525 or e-mail  us at info@vandermeernursery.com.
 
Remember, this library does not include our entire selection. Visit us year-round to check out varieties that may not be listed here!