Bluestem thinks 'Rostrahlbusch' is the best of the red Panicums.

Here is a link that might be useful: Bluestem

That is a nice comparison, but so many others claim Shenandoah is the reddest, and then there are the new introductions that all claim to be the next greatest thing.

FWIW here is my p. 'Shenandoah' in a pic taken today. We had over 5" rain the night before last.

We have had a cool wet spring and wetter than normal summer. 'Shenandoah' has stayed straight w/o 'lodging' (flopping).

Here it is May 21 showing red already.

As to whether it is more brown or red, IMO with sun behind it, it would show as more brown. With the sun on the front as you view it, it looks red.

Dgregory, how tall does your Shenandoah get? It looks beautiful. Did it color so early in other years too?

Dgregory, thank you for posting pictures of your Shenandoah. I planted mine this June. I look forward to seeing how it does next year. The nurseryman told me the red panicums weren't very different from each other. I imagine local growing conditions are more important.

Cheryl

I planted 3 P. rotstrahlbusch a couple years ago. Two autumns have come and gone and no red foliage. I took 2 out since they were flopping so bad with heavy rain we had in July, which is not typical for us, my taller 'Northwind' and 'Heavy Metal didn't lodge. Rotstrahlbusch is a shorter cultivar by the way. The third is still standing but I plan to replace it with Muhly deer grass since its rather boring and I am short on space. So, here in Oklahoma where they are native, I am reporting a disappointment with it.

There is a large established big specimen plant a few blocks up, its a glorious red every year with lots of glowing seed heads in fall every year, sorry, I have never seen the owners outside, I'd definitely stop and ask. I want one, wish I could give you a name, wish I had a name. If I ever do find out, I will post it.

I want to add another observation about lodging or tendency to flop. I noticed the stems on the 'Northwind' and 'Heavy Metal' are dramatically thicker and stronger than on the stems of 'Rotstrahlbusch' which is about 2/3 the height of the other two, the stems are more numerous and weaker -- very noticeably thinner in diameter. It is also faster growing and blooms earlier than the other two. When it rains heavy, the entire plant lays on the ground with the center exposed and the two I removed never looked good after that. Mine were planted in well drained gravely unamended soil and in full sun.

TexasRanger, I'm surprised, shocked even, that Rotstrahlbusch is just a floppy green grass. Bluestem and other nurseries advertise it as a straight, true red, as opposed to the darker red-brown of Shenandoah, described as "cascading". I have to assume the growing conditions make a lot of difference but this seems excessive.

So far my Shenandoah is about a foot tall, absolutely straight and has a few dark red blades. Heavy Metal is a shade taller but not as thick, also absolutely straight. It doesn't get as much sun as Shenandoah which may explain why it's skinny. I also have Miscanthus Purpurescens which so far is solid green and cascading (not floppy), but it's supposed to turn purple/red later in the season. All these were planted in May/June so it's too early to pass judgment.

Cheryl

Here is Cheyenne Sky, which I picked up from a local nursery in a gallon-sized pot any planted around the first of June. I picked this because of its supposedly short height since this is a hell strip planting. It's had some maroon colored leaves throughout the season, no clue yet what it will look like in the fall. The soil here is fairly rich and we've had some big rains lately. It's stayed upright. About 2.5 feet tall at this point.

Love everyone's input. Anyone else with experience with these grasses, please chime in

I wanted to say that I saw a few of these side by side at a local nursery, and couldn't tell the difference. They were in full sun in one gallon pots, except the Shenandoah, which was in a larger pot in a different location. This was showing less red than the others. But since they were in nursery pots, I'm not sure if we can expect them to look the same once planted.
The ones in one gallons were Ruby Ribbons, Cheyenne Sky, and something else.

Please post new pictures when your grasses get their full Fall color.

Okay, will do. I suspect it will be late October, though perhaps we'll start to see some change after this weekend with forecast lows in the lower 40s.

I checked the height on my Cheyenne Sky, the tallest panicles are just about 3 feet now.

Photos and wonderful description of Cheyenne Sky. If you browse around on this gardeners beautiful blog she has photos and description of her experience with Rotstrahlbusch and some other none red panicum
I am new here is it ok to post photos from garden blogs?

http://www.obsessiveneuroticgardener.com/2013/12/panicum-virgatum-cheyenne-sky.html

Cheyenne Sky update

good color

By the way, I found this Excel spreadsheet very useful as a guide. It is linked from this page from National Grass Trials. The comparison was done in Minnesota.

Thanks for the link -- that Hot Rod looks promising, potentially shorter than Cheyenne Sky (important for where I've got mine).

I've been thinking I'd like to have something with a deep red color that would be visible behind the prairie dropseed haze in late summer and fall. My CS is nice, but earlier red color would be better.

I found one picture (linked) of CS on the Trials website that shows a fairly open form. Not lodging, but definitely without strong vertical form like Northwind apparently has. I like it though. The main thing I'm trying to avoid is that situation where the stems lodge after a big storm. I suppose that's less likely with the shorter varieties.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Interesting query & comments about the 'best' red panicum. Obviously some of this will depend on your personal view of red.
A lot of the new 'red' panicums on the market have a predominantly blue-green leaf early in the season. Many of these, including introductions from my garden (Blood Brothers & Samurai) turn a deep blood red /burgandy.
Many of the older 'red' panicum cultivars have a predominantly green leaf early in the season and colour up to more of a cherry red . The only one of these that I'm growing was purchased under the cultivar name 'Rehbraun' Although it colours up later than Blood Brothers or Samurai, it has a rather nice 'bushy' form that makes a stronger colour statement from a distance (colour is similar to that found on Japanese Blood Grass).

P.Shenandoah update...Captured this pic with the afternoon sun highlighting it.

Wow! And your Shenandoah is all upright! You've got a good performer there!

The info about bluish green vs grass green in the previous post is helpful, but Rehbraun must not be common in the US. The coloring is awesome.

Here is the bed Shenandoah is in.

Little Blue Stem "The Blues' is the smaller red OG. It has 'lodged' pretty badly this year with the late summer rains and wind. I pulled up the weed mat under the mulch and it seemed to help LBS stand up. I'm learning :-)

Miscanthus 'Cascade' is in the middle. I put it in 2012, added 'Shenandoah & 'The Blues' & buddleia 'Lo & Behold' in 2013. I added a couple of shorter phlox this year for a pop of summer color. The butterfly bush isn't doing much for me...

Really enjoying all the pics! Here is "Shenandoah" in early Sept. This was taken last year when we had a very cool & rainy summer. It starts getting colour pretty much from the time it breaks ground here but certainly by July for everyone depending on your zone.