Schizachyrium scoparium 'The Blues'

Little Bluestem

This is an excellent native grass for the garden. It is an upright, clump-forming grass with slender, blue-green leaves. The foliage turns a striking red-orange in the fall, excellent in massed plantings or mixed with other native grasses and wildflowers. Fluffy silver seed heads bloom in late summer or early fall and are ornamental through winter.

Benefits:

Fine-textured blue-green foliage

Provides nest sites, protective cover and food for birds

Outstanding fall color and great winter interest

Drought tolerant; additional water of fertilizer is unnecessary

Homeowner Growing and Maintenance Tips

Easy to grow in full sun.

Grow in dry to average soil. Tolerates heat and humidity easily.

Watering or fertilization is actually detrimental; best left to it's own devices!

Leave foliage in place for winter interest and to provide homes for over-wintering critters. Cut back to the ground in late winter before new growth begins.

Height 2-4 Feet

Spread 2-2 Feet

Native Range Prairies, fields, open woodlands and roadsides; New Brunswick to Alberta south to Arizona and Florida.

Native Trivia Little bluestem's root system is deep and fibrous. Individual roots are relatively fine but most roots grow almost vertically downward to depths comparable to shade trees. This is one of the reasons why it is so drought tolerant.

USDA Hardiness Zone 3-9

"This is one of the primary grasses found in the east and feeds my feathered friends in winter."

Characteristics & Attributes

Plan Sub Group • Low Grasses	Exposure • Sun	Soil Moisture Preference • Dry • Average	Attracts Wildlife • Songbirds
Bloom Time • Late Summer	Habitat Collection • Songbird	Foliage Color • Blue-green	Uses • Drought tolerant