Big Bluestem is a tall, colorful warm-season native grass that once dominated the Midwest prairies. The upright clumps of flattened foliage emerge grey to blue-green and mature to green with red hues before turning reddish-bronze with lavender tones after frost. Flowering stalks extend above to foliage in late summer bearing 3-parted, finger-like purplish flower clusters. Grows best in full sun and well-drained soils. Excellent drought tolerant once established.
Andropogon gerardii is a host for the Common Wood-Nymph butterfly and various Skipper butterflies.
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Type:
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Orn. Grass
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Origins:
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North America, GA Native
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Height:
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4' - 6'
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Spread:
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2 - 3'
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Spacing:
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2.5'
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USDA Hardiness Zone:
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5 - 8
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Culture:
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Full Sun
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Bloom Color:
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Purple
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Season of Interest:
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Fall, Year-Round
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MAINTENANCE NEEDS: Low maintenance. Cut stems to the ground in late winter before new shoots appear.
LANDSCAPE USES: Accents or Group Plantings, Borders, Woodland Gardens, Wildlife Gardens, Naturalized Areas, Native Gardens, Rock Gardens, and containers.
COMPANION PLANTS: Milkweed, Tickseed, Black-Eyed Susan
IMAGES: T.Voekler, Andropogon gerardii shrub, CC BY-SA 3.0, (2) Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, Andropogon gerardii (21092730152), CC BY-SA 2.0, (3) cassi saari, Tallgrass prairie flora Andropogon gerardii, CC BY-SA 4.0 ,(4) Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, Andropogon gerardii (3904160434), CC BY-SA 2.0
*As plants have ranges in appearance they may not appear as the images shown.
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