Switch Grass 'Cloud Nine'

Switchgrass ‘Cloud Nine’ is an upright, clumping selection of *Panicum virgatum* valued for its height and blue-green foliage. In summer, airy, pink-tinted flower panicles rise above the leaves and persist into fall and winter, adding seasonal structure and seed for birds. Its published mature range is 5–7 feet tall by 2–3 feet wide, so site it where the vertical form has room. [North Carolina State Extension’s Plant Toolbox](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/panicum-virgatum-cloud-nine/common-name/switch-grass/) and [Wisconsin Horticulture](https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/switch-grass-panicum-virgatum/) describe the selection. ## Growing Plant in full sun for the strongest upright form; it tolerates partial shade. It prefers moist soil and adapts to varied soil conditions, including dry or wet sites. Avoid deep shade, where the clump can lose its vertical shape. [North Carolina State Extension](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/panicum-virgatum-cloud-nine/common-name/switch-grass/) ## Maintenance Leave the stems standing through winter for structure and seed. Cut the grass back to the ground in late winter or early spring, before new growth begins.