Andropogon gerardii
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Big Bluestem
Poaceae (Graminae)
Plant Specifics
Form: | Grass | |
Size: | 4-7 (10) ft tall by 3-5 ft wide | |
Life Span: | Long-lived perennial | |
Flower Color: | Green | |
Fruit Color: | Brown | |
Phenology: | Deciduous | |
Noted for: | Interesting foliage |
Landscaping
Recommended Uses: | Sunny garden where a large, clumping grass is an asset. Noted for silvery-blue foliage that turns bronze in fall. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Considerations: | If used in a garden, too much water, shade, or fertilizer can cause it to get top-heavy and fall over. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Propagation: | Division of clumps, seed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Availability: | Seed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Light: | Full Sun | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Moisture Tolerance: |
always floodedextremely dry |
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(Somewhat moist, no flooding ----- to ----- Not wet but not extremely dry) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Moisture Tolerance: | Somewhat moist, no flooding ----- to ----- Not wet but not extremely dry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Salt Water Flooding Tolerance: | Tolerant of inundation with brackish water | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance: | Some tolerance to salty wind but not direct salt spray. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Soil or other substrate: | Loam, Sand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Soil pH: | Adaptable |
Ecology
Wildlife: |
Provides cover and seed for many species of songbirds. | |
Insects: | Larval host for the Delaware skipper (Anatrytone logan) and the dusted skipper (Atrytonopsis hianna). | |
Native Habitats: | Flatwoods, prairies. |
Distribution and Planting Zones
Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones
Suitable to grow in:
8A 8B

USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures
Comments
Ethnobotany: | The grass is favored by livestock and so has become much rarer than when there was only seasonal bison grazing. |