Big Bluestem

Latin Name: Andropogon gerardii

Type: Grass/Sedge

Light: Sun

Moisture: Dry / Dry-Mesic / Mesic / Wet-Mesic

Soil: Sand / Loam / Clay

Size: 4-8 feet

Color: Purple Then Bronze/red

Bloom Time: August / September / October

Description: This plant is often referred to as "turkey-foot" grass because the bloom resembles a turkey's foot. This is a dominant member of the tall grass prairie. It is the most prevalent and widely distributed o all the prairie grasses. The summer stems are bluish-green, but after the first frost they turn an attractive reddish bronze. The clumping habit of Big blue stem and its colors creates year long interest in the garden or meadow. Cut the stems down in Spring. This will allow the beneficial insects to over-winter as well as provide winter shelter for wildlife. The song birds adore the seeds