big bluestem
Andropogon gerardi
USDA zones4 to 9
SunHandles full sun to partial shade
WaterHandles dry to wet soil
Size4 to 6 feet tall2 to 3 feet wide
- Habit
- Grass/grass-like
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, autumn, winter
- Bloom color
- Red , blue , brown
- Foliage color
- Green or blue-green. russet in winter.
- Fall color
- Yes
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay, chalk
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi) is a grass for meadows, rain gardens, and pollinator gardens. It is hardy to USDA zone 4, or down to -30°F (-34°C). This plant likes full sun to part shade and dry to wet soil of most types. Its seedheads split into three parts and look like a turkey's foot. Deer tend to pass it by. Birds use it for cover and nesting, and too much fertilizer can make it top-heavy, so keep feeding light.
Pairs well with Little bluestem, Butterfly milkweed, Purple prairie clover, and Culver’s root.
Native range
AL, AR, AZ, CO, and 43 more places. See all 47
AL, AR, AZ, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WI, WV, WY; MB, ON, QC, and SK.