Bold Color and Drought Tolerant

Hot Rod Switchgrass Plant

Bold Color and Drought Tolerant

Grows 3-4 ft. tall
Drought-tolerant perennial
Adds texture and movement to gardens
Tolerates a range of soil
Deer tend to avoid

Bold-colored ornamental grass adds color, texture and movement to the garden and landscapes. Easy care and drought tolerant, Hot Rod Switchgrass has firmly upright blue-green foliage that reddens rapidly until the entire plant is a deep maroon. In late summer, tan, elegant flower heads sway 12-15 in. above the foliage. Growing 3-4 ft. tall with an 18-24 in. spread, this ornamental grass develops the best color when planted in full sun. While it prefers well-drained soil, it tolerates a wide range of soil conditions, except wet soils. The grass adds texture to winter garden, and can be cut back in late winter or early spring before new growth starts. Zones 4-10.

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Shipping Schedule I'm gardening elsewhere.

Plants will be shipped at the proper planting time for your area of the country using the shipping timeframes outlined below. We continually monitor weather conditions for extreme hot or cold and adjust shipping schedules as needed. Due to hot weather conditions, we are unable to ship most plant items in July and August. Items that are overweight will require an additional shipping charge depending on weight.

Spring 2025 Shipping Schedule
ZONE	All Other Perennials & Potted Plants
3A-4A	4/28/25 - 5/30/25
4B	4/28/25 - 5/30/25
5A	4/28/25 - 5/30/25
5B	4/7/25 - 5/30/25
6A	3/24/25 - 5/30/25
6B	3/10/25 - 5/30/25
7A	2/24/25 - 5/30/25
7B	2/17/25 - 5/9/25
8A	2/17/25 - 5/9/25
8B	2/10/25 - 5/9/25
9A	2/10/25 - 5/9/25
9B	2/3/25 - 5/9/25
10A & B	2/3/25 - 5/9/25
Last Order Date	Zones 3A-7A: May 26, 2025 Zones 7B-10B: May 5, 2025

Additional Shipping Notes:

The type of product you order or the weather in our area to yours may affect the anticipated shipping schedule, shifting earlier or later, depending.

Trees and shrubs are kept in the nursery row until full dormant for optimum stress protection.

In all cases, we choose the fastest, most efficient way to send your orders via the U.S. Postal Service or FedEx. Large orders or large items may be shipped to you in multiple packages.

Sorry, we cannot ship products to Hawaii, Alaska, APO/FPO or outside the contiguous United States. Please provide a street address as some products are unable to be delivered to Post Office boxes.

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Product Details

Botanical Name: Panicum virgatum 'Hot Rod' PP26074
Height: 3-4 feet. tall. In late summer, tan, elegant flower heads sway 12-15 inches above the foliage.
Spacing:18 - 24 inches.
Depth:Plant at the same depth it is in the pot.
Spread:18-24 inches.
Light Required:Full Sun
Color: Emerges blue-green but quickly turns to red.
Size: 2" Pot
Blooms: Late Summer
Zone: 4-8