Panicum virgatum, commonly known as
switchgrass, is a
perennial warm season
bunchgrass native to North America, where it occurs naturally from
55°N latitude in
Canada southwards into the
United States and
Mexico. Switchgrass is one of the dominant
species of the central
North American tallgrass prairie and can be found in remnant
prairies, in native grass
pastures, and naturalized along roadsides. It is used primarily for
soil conservation,
forage production, game cover, as an
ornamental grass, and more recently as a
biomass crop for
ethanol and
butanol, in
phytoremediation projects, fiber, electricity, and heat production and for
biosequestration of atmospheric
carbon dioxide.