Panicum virgatum 'Northwind' is a tall cultivar of switchgrass, an upright, native perennial grass that to between four and six feet tall, noted for being extremely tolerant to both drought and wet, boggy soils. Foliage emerges in the early spring as olive- or blue-green and persists through the summer before producing fine, yellow-tinted flowers in mid summer and eventually turning a striking golden color itself in the late autumn.
'Northwind' tolerates a wide range of moisture and soil types, so long as the ground is well draining, and its showy golden-yellow and bronze winter hues and upright nature add a great deal of winter interest.
Panicum virgatum 'Northwind' is the recipient of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society, and is the third grass cultivar to receive the Perennial Plant of the Year Award. For the honor of Perennial Plant of the Year, 'Northwind' was selected in 2014 for its ability to perform well in a wide range of climates, for low needs in terms of special treatment and maintenance, multiple-season interest, and for being relatively pest/disease-free.