Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Niagara Falls Switch Grass: A Powder-Blue Cascade Behind Lavender
Save
Niagara Falls switch grass is an unusually wide switch grass. Its narrow, powder-blue leaves rise and then arch outward, forming a broad, fountain-like clump about 4 feet tall and 4 feet wide that looks more like a miscanthus than a typical upright switch grass. In late summer and fall, airy sprays of cream seed heads fill the top, and the foliage turns golden tan.
As a Great Lakes farm, we will admit the name caught our eye. The plant holds up its end too.
Niagara Falls at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Panicum virgatum 'Niagara Falls' |
| Foliage | Powder blue, about 1/2 inch wide, arching; golden tan in fall |
| Flowers | Airy cream sprays and seed heads |
| Size | About 4 feet tall, 4 feet wide |
| Bloom | Starts mid-August, peaks early September |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 4 to 9 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Deer | Resistant |
Blue grass, gray lavender
Powder-blue foliage and lavender's gray-green mounds are close cousins in color, so Niagara Falls blends rather than contrasts. Planted behind a row of lavender, it makes a soft, moving backdrop that catches the wind off the lake and keeps the bed interesting long after the lavender harvest. In fall its cream haze and tan foliage give the garden a second season.
Because it is so wide, think in terms of space. One plant makes a specimen at the corner of a lavender bed; a row makes a screen along a property line or driveway. Keep it at least a few feet back from the lavender so its arching leaves do not shade the lavender's south side. Plan the layout in the Companion Plant Planner.
Planting and care
- Sun: full sun, the same exposure lavender needs.
- Soil: almost any, from sand to clay. Unlike lavender, it also handles wetter spots.
- Water: regular watering the first season, then drought tolerant.
- Winter: leave it standing. It holds up through winter and gives birds cover.
- Spring: cut it back to a few inches in early spring before new growth starts.
Solving a wet corner
Many lavender gardens have one low spot where water collects and lavender keeps failing. Switch grass is a good answer there: it takes the same sun and tolerates the wetter soil. Put Niagara Falls in the low corner and keep the lavender on the higher, sharper-draining ground.
The plug tray format
Niagara Falls is offered as a full 72-cell plug tray, a good fit for screens, mass plantings and growers. See the product page for current availability, or the Wholesale Hub for tray orders.
Frequently asked questions
Is switch grass native?
Switch grass is a North American prairie grass, and Niagara Falls is a selection of it.
Will it flop over?
Its arching habit is natural. It stays standing through winter and provides cover for birds.
Share how it went in your field