Switchgrass

Plant Information

Common Name: Switchgrass

Scientific Name: Panicum virgatum

Varieties: Renovo Switchgrass, Blackwell, Cave-in-Rock, Dacotah, Sunburst, Nebraska 28, RC Big Rock

• Renovo Mix: A diverse mix of switchgrass varieties. Diversity adds resilience to the mix.
• Blackwell: Blackwell switchgrass is adapted to grow well in the south-central and eastern states. Compared to other switchgrass cultivars, Blackwell possessed high leafiness, total forage, and disease resistance.
• Cave-In-Rock: Cave-In-Rock is adapted to be useful wind barriers, biofuel, and protection to lands prone to flooding. Can grow to reach 6’ tall that works as field barriers for soil erosion control.
• Dacotah: Adapted to grow in North Dakota, northern Minnesota and South Dakota. Dacotah grows shorter with thinner leaves and stems and matures earlier when compared to other switchgrass cultivars.
• Sunburst: Sunburst is similar to Forestburg in performance and adaptions. Compared to Dacotah, Sunburst is late maturing, and both are suitable for haying and grazing in Minnesota and South Dakota.
• Nebraska 28: Nebraska 28 switchgrass was adapted in Nebraska and performs well in sandy, well-drained soils throughout the upper midwest.
• RC Big Rock: RC Big Rock is a new late-season variety developed from Cave-in-Rock. 7′-8′ in height, RC Big Rock is ideal for wildlife habitat and is genetically improved for ease of establishment.
• RC Sundance: A widely adapted new variety of upland RC Switchgrass bred for both habitat and farm use. The key advantages of this variety include it is large seeded and has exceptional seedling vigor. It is winter hardy, drought tolerant, tall, erect and has good standability and tolerance to diverse soils. It is 10 days earlier than cave-in-rock and 6″ taller. For habitat use it is a leading choice of switchgrass for the Upper Corn Belt and Northern Great Plains. It is an excellent choice for winterhardiness zones 4A to 5B in the states of SD, ND, MN, WI, MI, NY and the provinces of ON and QC.  It can be used in mixtures with RC Big Rock in zone 5. It is an easy to grow and productive switchgrass created from crossing elite breeding lines of Sunburst switchgrass and Cave-in-Rock switchgrass.

Mature Height: 3′-5′

Soil Moisture: Wet to Dry

Seeding Rate: 6 lbs/acre

Planting Instructions: Site preparation is vital for allowing your seed to make clean contact with the soil, allowing for successful and uniform germination. Start with a clean, firm, weed-free seedbed to allow for uniform seed placement and an increased chance for faster establishment.

NRCS SWITCHGRASS FACT SHEET