Upright clumps of green to blue-green leaves in summer. Foliage turns rich orange and copper-red in fall. Flower heads resembling upside down turkey claws appear in late August. They open red and turn darker with age. If left up, the foliage adds interest to the winter landscape and provides cover for wildlife. Host to grass skippers such as Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus), Sachem (Atalopedes campestris), Peck’s Skipper (Polites peckius), Tawny-edged Skipper (Polites themistocles), and Delaware Skipper (Anatrytone logan). Provides cover and nesting sites for a variety of songbirds, which also eat the seeds.
Native Plant Database
Header Photo: Mervin Wallace
Big Bluestem
Andropogon gerardii
Plant Type: Grasses / Sedges / Rushes
Native Environment: Prairie
Season of Interest: Winter (Nov - Mar)
Main Color: Green
Fall Color:
USDA PLANTS Range Map
At the range map link above, zoom in for county-level data
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Soil
Moisture
Dry, Moderate
Nature Attracting
Butterfly, Songbirds
Wildlife Benefit
Butterfly / Moth Host, Cover, Food/Birds, Nesting
Animal
Resistance
Deer Resistant
Size
Height:
5 to
9
feet
Spread:
2 to
3
feet
Size
Height: 5 to
9
feet
Spread: 2 to
3
feet
Size
Height: 5 to
9
feet
Spread: 2 to
3
feet
Typical Landscape Use
Use as a hedge or screen or plant in a prairie. Can be used at the back of a native plant garden.
Establishment and Care Instructions
Grow in full sun in moist or dry soil. Shade and winter will cause flopping.
Special Features
Special Usage
Basic Description
Where Should I Start?
Check out the Grow Native! Committee’s Top Ten picks of native plants for a particular purpose.
What’s the Next Step?
Picked out your plants? View our Resource Guide of garden centers, seed sources, landscapers, education resources, and more!
Where Can I Find This Plant in Nature?
Learn about the Native Environment(s) inhabited by the plants in this database.