In a Webinar I watched once on native grasses the presenter discouraged Big Bluestem for the home gardener. I've been scratching my head over that ever since.
Why not plant Big Bluestem at home? Yes, it's large; it's a warm-season grass that gets up to 8 feet tall. And its beautiful, with blue-green foliage in summer turning reddish-gold in the fall.
Big Bluestem looks great en masse, how it naturally grows, and it's best given some room to spread. It works great as a vertical accent or specimen planting, or a privacy screen.
It's also great along ponds and slopes for erosion control, although it may flop over in the shade. It can be slow to establish, but it also has one of the deepest roots of all the native grasses, up to 10 feet deep.
Big Blue tolerates salt and deer browsing. Cutting it to the ground in winter can help maintain its shape.
Big Bluestem
- Latin: Andropogon gerardii
- Pollinator value: High
- Height: 4-8 feet; 2-3-foot spread
- Light: Full sun
- Soil: Dry to medium
- Bloom: Purplish-red, September-February
- Foliage: Deciduous, gold, burgundy fall
- Landscape: Border, native plant garden, screen
- Resistance: Deer, drought, black walnut, air pollution
- Native range here