Panicum virgatum

A powerhouse of ecological advantages, Switchgrass helps prevent soil erosion, enriches the soil through nitrogen recycling, and provides valuable wildlife food and habitat. Most notably, this perennial native prairie grass has been identified as a powerful tool for mitigating climate change as it sequesters carbon from the atmosphere. Tall and clump-forming, Switchgrass is drought tolerant and easily grown in a variety of soil conditions. Songbirds feed from its seed heads in the fall, and several varieties of skippers use Switchgrass as a host plant. Fun fact: Native Americans ground Switchgrass seeds into flour and used whole seeds as stuffing for moccasins.