The ornamental grasses just tug at my heart strings! They have so much movement in the landscape and are such a versatile plant. Today we’re talking about the Shenandoah Switchgrass. This grass was one of the “originals” when the grasses were starting to get popular. Shenandoah will reach 3-4’ tall and about 3-4’ wide. The foliage is a blue-green to light green color from spring into summer. As the season progresses, Shenandoah’s foliage will start to streak a maroon-red-purple color and by fall the plant is a beautiful rich maroon-red. The seed heads are airy, open and loved by the local wildlife. The structure is really dense, so you won’t be able to see through the grass. In spring, as we get closer to the last frost date, cut this grass down to 2-4” tall, removing all of last year’s growth.
Shenandoah can be paired with plants that have a natural-feel, like coreopsis, blanket flowers and coneflower. This grass works well with viburnum, hydrangea and yellow dogwoods as a backdrop. And being a Nebraska native, I just love tying Shenandoah grasses in with bur oak trees.
If you have any questions or would like to read more about landscaping in Nebraska, visit our website at ‘colorgardens.com’.