With Panicum virgatum 'Smoking Gun', you get an upright switchgrass with fine-textured foliage and a strong, clump-forming habit that adds movement without looking messy.
Plant it where you can enjoy its vertical lines in a border, prairie-style planting, or mixed native bed. In late summer, airy flower panicles rise above the foliage, then age to straw tones and can be left standing for winter interest.
You will get the best shape in full sun, but part shade is workable. This grass is adaptable to many soils and becomes drought tolerant once established, making it a reliable choice for lower-input gardens.
At maturity it reaches about 36-48 inches tall and spreads roughly 12-24 inches, so give it room for a neat clump. It also offers wildlife value as seed heads can be left for birds through winter.
For easy care, cut the clump back to the ground in late winter or very early spring before new growth starts. Avoid rich, heavily fertilized sites that can encourage flopping.