Big Bluestem

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.

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.