Nodes are hairless and purplish. Spikelet stalks are usually densely covered in fine hairs that are initially appressed but spread out as the spikelets mature. Little Bluestem. At Greenwood Hardware, you will find a variety of plants that will thrive in the shade and brighten up those shady areas. Read on for little bluestem information so you can decide if this interesting plant is right for your landscape. Nodes are hairless and purplish. The entire spikelet eventually falls off. Little bluestem is considered to be adapted to USDA hardiness zones 3 through 9. Your email address: (required) This species is a perennial warm-season plant. Schizachyrium scoparium. Plant this Little Bluestem in the Blacklands, Edwards Plateau, Cross Timbers, Lost Pines & Rolling Plains to help restore habitat for bobwhite quail, white-tailed deer, rio grande turkey, le conte's sparrow. This tough prairie grass is adaptable and tolerant to harsh conditions and poor soils. Your Name: It is taller, stiffer with thick stems, and powder blue leaves. This forms an upright clump of blue-grey foliage, bearing narrow, medium-tall spikes in late summer. Little bluestem is a warm-season grass and does not green up right away in the spring. Above: Little bluestem grass grows wild in Wisconsin. Clumps may be easily divided in spring. Map of native plant purveyors in the upper midwest. The extensive root system makes it impervious to drought, so hold the water and give it plenty of sunlight (at least six hours). Terrific in the border or meadow. 500 Little Bluestem Ornamental Grass Seeds, Schizachyrium scoparium 3.5 out of 5 stars 9 David's Garden Seeds Grass Bluestem Little 7212 (Blue) Non-GMO, Open Pollinated One Ounce Package QUICK STATS. The wild form here and there along Old Highway 61. Find mixtures for your region, or for special uses such as dry areas, partial shade, attracting animals, low growing, and more. Posted by SongofJoy (Clarksville, TN - Zone 6b) on Jan 15, 2012 8:07 AM. Help support this site ~ Information for sponsor opportunities. Note: All comments are moderated before posting to keep the riff-raff out. This grass requires a location with full sun. This forms an upright clump of blue-grey foliage, bearing narrow, medium-tall spikes in late summer. Keep It Alive. Sprite' tender perennial well-drained full sun to part shade These fragrant and floriferous herbs bloom all summer until freeze and attract a wide array of pollinators from bees to ... An upright silvery blue-leaved little bluestem that turns deep wine red/purple in the fall. Its silvery seed heads rise to a height of nearly 2 feet in late summer and are at their best when backlit in the morning or afternoon sun. Moisture:: Moist or Dry Exposure: Full Sun - Part Shade Blooms: August-September Height: 1-3 feet Description: Little Bluestem is a native perennial prairie grass that was once very common in our historic prairie landscapes. Plants grow in large, tight clumps and sometimes spread through short rhizomes. Plant little bluestem grass in full sun in USDA zones 3 to 9. scoparium is one that is widely accepted, common throughout North America, and is the species found in Minnesota. Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it? The plant is adaptable to either full sun or partial shade. Little bluestem is very tolerant of dry soils but will also thrive in richer loam soils. Adapted to oak woods and prairies of central Texas with annual rainfalls of 20 to 40". Spikelets (flower clusters) are in pairs all along the spike; 1 stalkless spikelet containing a single fertile, perfect flower (both male and female parts) and usually 1 stalked sterile spikelet that is smaller than the fertile spikelet, occasionally containing a single male flower. Life Cycle. A pretty grass, Little Bluestem is another iconic species of prairies that once covered much of Minnesota. The sheath is open, forming a long “V” at the front, and usually hairless. Masses of Little Bluestem may be combined with flowering perennials such as rudbeckias, salvias, daylilies and daisies as a effective transition zone between the well watered and cultivated garden area and a surrounding wildscape … The Blues Little Bluestem is one of the easiest ornamental grasses to grow, as it tolerates a wide range of soil conditions and is hardy in zones 3-9. The grass gets fluffy white seed heads that also adds seasonal interest. The ligule (membrane where the leaf joins the sheath) is white to brownish and up to 2 mm long. (=Andropogon scoparium) A recent selection of a native grass, which used to be widely distributed all over the Great Plains. Photograph by Joshua Mayer via Flickr. Little Bluestem. Regarding reuse of photos from this site: Any plant photo with a credit line including the words “Friends School Plant Sale photo” may be used with credit to the Friends School Plant Sale and named photographer, under the Creative Commons license. A warm season bunchgrass with green, blue, copper, red, and bronze tones to its foliage, especially beautiful in fall and winter. Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) Little bluestem has blue-gray-green leaf blades that turn redish-bronze in autumn. Stems take on a tan or reddish color in fall and persist through winter. Funding provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources. The plant is also aggressive and crowds out other native plants. The sheath is open, forming a long “V” at the front, and usually hairless. The seed that develops in the fertile spikelet is purplish brown, narrowly spindle shaped with a long taper to a pointed tip, and about as long as the spikelet. This warm-season grass’ native prairie habitat has almost disappeared, but don’t worry. Schizachyrium scoparium / Little Bluestem $ 8.00. Little Bluestem. The sterile spikelet has a much shorter awn. MNL Septic Mound Mix $ 35.00 – $ 864.00 Select options. The glumes (pair of bracts at the base of a spikelet) of the fertile spikelet are ¼ to 3/8 inch long and equal in length, narrowly lance-elliptic with a sharply pointed tip. and alpine laurel Kalmia microphylla are all showy and do well in partial shade. 24-36" tall x 15" wide (seed propagated). Grasses are adaptable and can grow in poorer soils better than many other garden plants. Sometimes, it can be a little tough to grow certain plants that require plenty of sunshine and heat to thrive when you are blessed with so much shade. Little Bluestem requires nearly full sun for upright growth and looks best when cut back in early spring, allowing new leaf blades to fill in. A large area of little bluestem in the late fall or winter is very striking. Web design and content copyright © 2006-2020 MinnesotaWildflowers.info. Plant number: 8.020.250. Densely mounded, Little Bluestem reaches a height of 3 … Thanks for your understanding. Photos by K. Chayka taken in Anoka and Ramsey counties. For info on subjects other than plant identification (gardening, invasive species control, edible plants, etc. ‘Carousel’ is an advanced selection developed Leaves are crowded on the lower part of the stem with few on the upper plant. Growing only 2 to 3 feet tall, Little Bluestem works well in natural prairie plantings or grouped with other perennials. Shade, excess fertility, and too much moisture will all contribute to lax, floppy growth. Learn which ornamental and native grasses have an aggressive habit, which is not recommended for smaller gardens. It is found in many types of soil but is particularly adapted to well-drained, nearly infertile soil which makes it an excellent erosion barrier. The blue grassy foliage is appealing all season, and only gets better in fall. See Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The ligule (membrane where the leaf joins the sheath) is white to brownish and up to 2 mm long. CHECK AVAILABILITY. The spikelets spread out as they mature, the hairs on the stalks spreading as well, the spike taking on a feathery look and often arching. Little bluestem tolerates a wide range of soils including clay, but needs good drainage and cannot thrive in shade or wetlands. It is a prolific self-seeder and can become invasive with little bluestem in lawns a major competitor to traditional turf grass. Grasses/Sedges. Over 75 choices that will bloom in the second year and for years to come. It is a host plant for several native butterflies and is popular in the garden trade as well as restoration projects. It provides interest when planted in random patches on slopes and dry areas associated with post oak and yaupon landscapes, and grows either in full sun or partial shade. It is quite hardy, extending from Zones 3-9. Excellent in sandy or otherwise well-drained soils, it spreads colonially in the right conditions. FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Schizachyrium scoparium is a mounding grass with narrow green or blue-green foliage. Little bluestem plant is a native grass to North America. Personally, I do not not think it is a wild form but a selection from some nursery-grown crops. Little Bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium. The grass gets fluffy white seed heads that also adds seasonal interest. Where in Minnesota? Fluffy light catching seed clusters follow. In fall, the grass turns a rosy rust color that lasts all winter. Description Semi-shade tolerant to full sun. Partial shade (afternoon sun) is tolerated, but flowering may be diminished. Bluestem grass is also part of the fertile tall grass prairies of the midwest. Little Bluestem is a highly ornamental native grass prized for its blue-green leaf color and upright form. A cultivar selected by agronomists in NE as a high yielding pasture grass, Schizachyrium scoparium 'Blaze' is also used ornamentally for its vivid red fall foliage. 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