Andropogon glomeratus
Bushy Bluestem
Poaceae (Gramineae)
Plant Specifics
| Form: | Grass | |
| Size: | 3-5 (6) ft tall by 1-3 ft wide | |
| Life Span: | Long-lived perennial | |
| Flower Color: | Green,NA | |
| Fruit Color: | Orange,green | |
| Phenology: | Deciduous | |
| Noted for: | Fall color |
Landscaping
| Recommended Uses: | Background plant in casual landscape. Fruit stalks start out silvery green and transition to and orangy brown. Retains the old stalks through the winter. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Considerations: | May fall over at the end of the season. Will be neater if old stalks are removed before new growth starts in spring. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Propagation: | Division, sprigging, seed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Availability: | Native nurseries, Seed | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Light: | Full Sun | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: |
always floodedextremely dry |
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| (Stays Wet ----- to ----- Not wet but not extremely dry) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Moisture Tolerance: | Stays Wet ----- to ----- Not wet but not extremely dry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Water Flooding Tolerance: | Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Salt Spray/ Salty Soil Tolerance: | Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil or other substrate: | Loam, Organic material (muck), Sand | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Soil pH: | Acidic to neutral | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ecology
| Wildlife: |
Seeds eaten by various small birds and other wildlife. | |
| Insects: | Possible larval host plant for Delaware skipper (Anatrytone logan), Georgia satyr (Neonympha areolata), neamathla skipper (Nastra neamathla), swarthy skipper (Nastra lherminier) and twin-spot skipper (Oligoria maculata) butterflies. | |
| Native Habitats: | Flatwoods, marshes |
Distribution and Planting Zones
Natural Range in Florida
USDA Zones
Suitable to grow in:
8A 8B 9A
USDA zones are based on minimum winter temperatures
Comments
| General Comments: | There are several different subspecies of A. glomeratus with different affinities for upland and wetland conditions. A. glomeratus var. glaucopsis is notable as it has a blue-purple coloration and is almost always found in wetlands. |