Little Bluestem, Popotillo Azul, Blue Stem, Broom Beard Grass, Broom Grass, Bunchgrass, Prairie Grass, Wire Grass, Andropogon scoparius
Noted for its striking reddish-tan foliage, Schizachyrium scoparium (Little Bluestem) is a densely-tufted, deciduous, perennial grass forming an upright clump of fine-textured, slender, arching, blue-green leaves. The foliage of this North American prairie native turns striking copper-orange to dark orange-red in the fall and winter, persisting through winter snows. In late summer, delicate inflorescences appear in 3 in. long racemes (7 cm) on branched stems rising above the foliage. At first inconspicuous, they become particularly attractive after they dry and turn silvery reddish-brown. Their white, shining, cotton-tufted seedheads are of great value to small birds in winter. Providing a very long season of interest, Little Bluestem is easy to grow, tolerates heat, drought and humidity. It is an attractive addition to the landscape and can be used as an accent in borders, or in drifts in natural settings where it will mix happily with prairie wildflowers.
| Hardiness |
3 - 9 |
|---|---|
| Climate Zones | 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 |
| Plant Type | Ornamental Grasses |
| Plant Family | Poaceae |
| Common names | Blue Stem, Little Bluestem, Prairie Grass |
| Exposure | Full Sun |
| Season of Interest |
Spring (Early, Mid, Late) Summer (Early, Mid, Late) Fall Winter |
| Height |
2' - 4' (60cm - 120cm) |
| Spread |
1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm) |
| Spacing |
18" - 24" (50cm - 60cm) |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Water Needs | Low, Average |
| Soil Type | Chalk, Loam, Sand |
| Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
| Soil Drainage | Well-Drained |
| Characteristics | Showy |
| Native Plants | Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Midwest, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northeast, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pacific Northwest, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Rocky Mountains, South Carolina, South Dakota, Southeast, Southwest, Tennessee, Texas, United States, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming |
| Tolerance | Drought, Deer, Dry Soil, Rocky Soil |
| Attracts | Birds, Butterflies |
| Garden Uses | Banks And Slopes, Beds And Borders |
| Garden Styles | City and Courtyard, Gravel and Rock Garden, Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow |
| Hardiness |
3 - 9 |
|---|---|
| Climate Zones | 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 |
| Plant Type | Ornamental Grasses |
| Plant Family | Poaceae |
| Common names | Blue Stem, Little Bluestem, Prairie Grass |
| Exposure | Full Sun |
| Season of Interest |
Spring (Early, Mid, Late) Summer (Early, Mid, Late) Fall Winter |
| Height |
2' - 4' (60cm - 120cm) |
| Spread |
1' - 2' (30cm - 60cm) |
| Spacing |
18" - 24" (50cm - 60cm) |
| Maintenance | Low |
| Water Needs | Low, Average |
| Soil Type | Chalk, Loam, Sand |
| Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
| Soil Drainage | Well-Drained |
| Characteristics | Showy |
| Native Plants | Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Midwest, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Northeast, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pacific Northwest, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Rocky Mountains, South Carolina, South Dakota, Southeast, Southwest, Tennessee, Texas, United States, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming |
| Tolerance | Drought, Deer, Dry Soil, Rocky Soil |
| Attracts | Birds, Butterflies |
| Garden Uses | Banks And Slopes, Beds And Borders |
| Garden Styles | City and Courtyard, Gravel and Rock Garden, Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow |
How many Schizachyrium scoparium (Little Bluestem) do I need for my garden?
| Plant | Quantity | |
|---|---|---|
| Schizachyrium scoparium (Little Bluestem) | N/A | Buy Plants |
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Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.
Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.
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