Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
October Sky Switch Grass: A Rosy Purple Haze in Late Season
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October Sky switch grass is a mid-sized native switch grass with an elegant, upright shape and narrow blue-green leaves. In late summer and early fall it is topped with airy panicles of bright rosy purple seed heads, so the whole plant looks like a slim blue-green column wrapped in a soft purple cloud.
It reaches about 4 1/2 to 5 feet tall and holds its shape well late in the season without opening up or collapsing, which is more than most of us can say by October.
October Sky at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Panicum virgatum 'October Sky' |
| Foliage | Blue-green, about 1/2 inch wide; golden tan in fall |
| Flowers | Rosy purple, airy panicles fading to tan |
| Size | 54 inches to 5 feet tall, 24 to 30 inches wide |
| Bloom | Starts late August, peaks mid-September |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 4 to 9 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Deer | Resistant |
Purple after the lavender
The lavender harvest leaves a gap in a purple garden. October Sky fills it from a different height. Its rosy purple haze peaks in mid-September, long after the lavender has been cut and bundled, so the color story continues into fall. Planted behind a lavender bed, it gives height and movement all summer and then echoes the lavender's purple when the lavender is resting.
Because it is upright and only 2 to 2 1/2 feet wide, it fits narrower spaces than wide, arching switch grasses. A row makes an airy screen; a single plant makes a vertical accent at the corner of a bed. Keep it on the north side of lavender so it does not shade it. Plan the layout in the Companion Plant Planner.
Tough by the lake
October Sky tolerates wind, salt and drought. That makes it a good fit for exposed sites, roadside beds where winter salt spray reaches, and sandy ground near the shore. It is also useful for erosion control on slopes, where its roots help hold soil.
Planting and care
- Sun: full sun.
- Soil: almost any, from sand to clay; drought tolerant once established and fine in wetter spots.
- Water: regular watering the first season, then rarely.
- Winter: leave it standing for winter interest and bird cover.
- Spring: cut it back to a few inches in early spring before new shoots appear.
The plug tray format
October Sky is offered as a full 72-cell plug tray, a good fit for screens, mass plantings, erosion control and growers. See the product page for current availability, or the Wholesale Hub for tray orders.
Frequently asked questions
Will it fall open in autumn rain?
October Sky holds its shape well late in the season without opening up or collapsing.
Can it grow in a wet spot where lavender failed?
Yes. It handles wetter soil than lavender, so it is a good replacement for a low corner.
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