FNPS Plant Database

Andropogon gerardii

big bluestem

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Nomenclature

Common Name:

big bluestem

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Andropogon gerardii

Family:

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.

Availability:

Seed

Propagation:

Division of clumps, seed.

Light:

Full Sun

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

-|----|----|------|---- <-------------------> |----|----|-

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

Suitable to Grow In:

8A, 8B

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Birds, Mammals
Provides cover and seed for many species of songbirds.
Butterflies, Caterpillars

Larval host for the Delaware skipper (Anatrytone logan) and the dusted skipper (Atrytonopsis hianna).

Native Habitats:

Flatwoods, prairies

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

The grass is favored by livestock and so has become much rarer than when there was only seasonal bison grazing.

General Comments:

Citations:

Taylor, Walter K. 2009. A Guide to Florida Grasses. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.


Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ). Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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