Strickland, Sam C.
Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash
Little bluestem
Poaceae (Grass Family)
Little false bluestem is a very ornamental bunchgrass with fine-textured foliage that forms very dense mounds18-24 in. in height. Slender, blue-green stems, appearing in August, reach 3 ft. by September and become radiant mahogany-red with white, shining seed tufts in the fall. Color remains nearly all winter.
Perennial clumps grow up to a foot in diameter.
This mid-prairie species, also known as Bunchgrass, gets its name from the bluish color of the
stem bases in the spring, but most striking is the plants reddish-tan color in fall, persisting through winter snows. In winter the seeds, fuzzy white at maturity, are of particular value to small birds. A related species, Big Bluestem or Turkeyfoot (
Andropogon gerardii), has finger-like seed heads that somewhat resemble a turkeys foot. It reaches a height of 12 ft (3.6 m) in favorable bottomland sites and is also one of the Easts most important
native prairie grasses.
Image Gallery:
37 photo(s) available
Bloom Information
Bloom Color: White , Green , Brown
Bloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov , Dec
Distribution
USA: AL , AZ , AR , CA , CO , CT , DE , FL , GA , HI , ID , IL , IN , IA , KS , KY , LA , ME , MD , MA , MI , MN , MS , MO , MT , NE , NH , NJ , NM , NY , NC , ND , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , UT , VT , VA , WA , WV , WI , WY , DC
Canada: AB ,
BC ,
MB ,
NB ,
NS ,
ON ,
SK Native Distribution: Que. & ME to Alt. & ID, s. to FL & AZ
Native Habitat: Woodlands edge, Opening, Hillsides, Slopes, Prairie, Plains, Meadows, Pastures, Savannahs
USDA Native Status: L48(N), HI(I), CAN(N) Growing Conditions
Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
CaCO3 Tolerance: High
Drought Tolerance: High
Soil Description: Well-drained soil. Sandy, Sandy Loam, Medium Loam, Clay Loam, Clay, Limestone-based
Conditions Comments: Little bluestem is wonderful planted en masse. The visual dynamics it provides range from blue-green in late summer to golden with cotton-tufted seedheads in winter. It readily reseeds so little bluestem is not recommended for small gardens. Little bluestem is tolerant of a wide range of soils but will not tolerate wetlands or sub-irrigated sites.
Benefit
Use Ornamental: Fall conspicuous, Grows in clumps, Accent
Use Wildlife: Graze, Cover, Nesting material, Seeds-Small mammals, Seeds-granivorous birds.
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Interesting Foliage: yes
Attracts: Birds , Butterflies
Larval Host: Ottoe Skipper, Indian Skipper, Crossline Skipper, Dusted Skipper, Cobweb butterfly, Dixie skipper
Deer Resistant: High
Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)
Schizachyrium scoparium is a larval host and/or nectar source for:
Last Update: 2012-12-09
