Little bluestem is considered to be adapted to USDA hardiness zones 3 through 9. A single spike-like cluster at the tip of each branch and at the top of the stem. QUICK STATS. It requires a soil pH of 7.0 or slightly higher. A large area of little bluestem in the late fall or winter is very striking. This grass requires a location with full sun. In a garden setting, Little Bluestem is valued for its blue-green color in the summer and, after the first frost, it turns beautiful shades of brown, copper, and crimson that will remain all winter. Plant this Little Bluestem in the Blacklands, Edwards Plateau, Cross Timbers, Lost Pines & Rolling Plains to help restore habitat for bobwhite quail, white-tailed deer, rio grande turkey, le conte's sparrow. Little Bluestem $ 10.00 – $ 18.00. The wild form here and there along Old Highway 61. Its silvery seed heads rise to a height of nearly 2 feet in late summer and are at their best when backlit in the morning or afternoon sun. The plant is also aggressive and crowds out other native plants. Schizachyrium scoparium / Little Bluestem $ 8.00. Sandy to loamy soils are ideal for growing big bluestem grass. Little bluestem is a tidy, finely textured clumping grass with a blue-green summer color. The sterile spikelet has a much shorter awn. Spikelets (flower clusters) are in pairs all along the spike; 1 stalkless spikelet containing a single fertile, perfect flower (both male and female parts) and usually 1 stalked sterile spikelet that is smaller than the fertile spikelet, occasionally containing a single male flower. The entire spikelet eventually falls off. Grasses are adaptable and can grow in poorer soils better than many other garden plants. This selection features sturdy, tight, upright stems in blue-green and offers amazing fall colour when it turns a deep, red-purple. Over 75 choices that will bloom in the second year and for years to come. USDA Zone: 4-9. It also is slower to respond to shortening daylight hours in late summer. Web design and content copyright © 2006-2020 MinnesotaWildflowers.info. Sometimes, it can be a little tough to grow certain plants that require plenty of sunshine and heat to thrive when you are blessed with so much shade. The glumes (pair of bracts at the base of a spikelet) of the fertile spikelet are ¼ to 3/8 inch long and equal in length, narrowly lance-elliptic with a sharply pointed tip. See Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) Little bluestem has blue-gray-green leaf blades that turn redish-bronze in autumn. The spikelets spread out as they mature, the hairs on the stalks spreading as well, the spike taking on a feathery look and often arching. Big bluestem grass is hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9. In fall the foliage changes from blue to burgundy and really makes a statement! FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Schizachyrium scoparium is a mounding grass with narrow green or blue-green foliage. It is characterized by the clump forming growth, most of the stalked spikelets being sterile (not staminate), and leaf blades and sheaths typically hairless, occasionally short-hairy. Plants grow in large, tight clumps and sometimes spread through short rhizomes. Little Bluestem. The sheath is open, forming a long “V” at the front, and usually hairless. Superb bronzy orange colour develops in the autumn. I don't think it should be planted. An email address is required, but will not be posted—it will only be used for information exchange between the 2 of us (if needed) and will never be given to a 3rd party without your express permission. Comment (max 1000 characters): Note: Comments or information about plants outside of Minnesota and neighboring states may not be posted because I’d like to keep the focus of this web site centered on Minnesota. Shade, excess fertility, and too much moisture will all contribute to lax, floppy growth. Schizachyrium scoparium. Related products ; MNL Pioneer Mix $ 30.00 – $ 740.00 Select options. Tolerates heat and humidity. Schizachyrium Scoparium – Little Bluestem Home / Grasses/Sedges / Schizachyrium Scoparium ... Full sun to partial shade Moisture - Well drained, Dry to moist Size - 3-4' height x 3-4' spread Comments * White plumes in late summer/fall . Thanks for your understanding. Posted by SongofJoy (Clarksville, TN - Zone 6b) on Jan 15, 2012 8:07 AM. There are at least 3 recognized varieties of Schizachyrium scoparium (sometimes more depending on the reference), though the specific list varies and is apparently not universally accepted due to the wide natural variations of this species. 'Blaze' Little Bluestem grass is invaluable in xeriscapes and native wildflower plantings, plus it has great winter color! Plant number: 8.020.250. (They dry well, by the way.) It is found in many types of soil but is particularly adapted to well-drained, nearly infertile soil which makes it an excellent erosion barrier. scoparium is one that is widely accepted, common throughout North America, and is the species found in Minnesota. A warm season bunchgrass with green, blue, copper, red, and bronze tones to its foliage, especially beautiful in fall and winter. This tough prairie grass is adaptable and tolerant to harsh conditions and poor soils. Little Bluestem. It can even tolerate the partial shade of open woods, as long as the soil is well drained. A cultivar selected by agronomists in NE as a high yielding pasture grass, Schizachyrium scoparium 'Blaze' is also used ornamentally for its vivid red fall foliage. Other photos courtesy Peter M. Dziuk. Sprite' tender perennial well-drained full sun to part shade These fragrant and floriferous herbs bloom all summer until freeze and attract a wide array of pollinators from bees to ... An upright silvery blue-leaved little bluestem that turns deep wine red/purple in the fall. The sheath is open, forming a long “V” at the front, and usually hairless. This forms an upright clump of blue-grey foliage, bearing narrow, medium-tall spikes in late summer. Personally, I do not not think it is a wild form but a selection from some nursery-grown crops. Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it? and alpine laurel Kalmia microphylla are all showy and do well in partial shade. Your Name: For info on subjects other than plant identification (gardening, invasive species control, edible plants, etc. Regarding reuse of photos from this site: Any plant photo with a credit line including the words “Friends School Plant Sale photo” may be used with credit to the Friends School Plant Sale and named photographer, under the Creative Commons license. The grass gets fluffy white seed heads that also adds seasonal interest. If you have space for more shrubs, red flowering currant Ribes sanguineum, the silk tassel bush (Garrya ssp.) Fluffy light catching seed clusters follow. Stems take on a tan or reddish color in fall and persist through winter. The culm (stem) is erect and hairless with many short branches and is often bluish to purple. The plant is adaptable to either full sun or partial shade. The culm (stem) is erect and hairless with many short branches and is often bluish to purple. It also has very nice green, blue, and later red coloring. Adapted to oak woods and prairies of central Texas with annual rainfalls of 20 to 40". (=Andropogon scoparium) A recent selection of a native grass, which used to be widely distributed all over the Great Plains. In fall, the grass turns a rosy rust color that lasts all winter. Height: 24" - 36" Bloom Time: Aug - Sep Light: Full sun to part shade Soils: Dry, Average Specialty Uses: Medicinal, Landscaping Price(s): Packet: $3.00; Ounce: $4.00; Pound: $15.00; Images: NOTE: This item is sold by the PLS (Pure Live Seed) pound. Growing only 2 to 3 feet tall, Little Bluestem works well in natural prairie plantings or grouped with other perennials. Little bluestem plant is a native grass to North America. At Greenwood Hardware, you will find a variety of plants that will thrive in the shade and brighten up those shady areas. Description Semi-shade tolerant to full sun. The extensive root system makes it impervious to drought, so hold the water and give it plenty of sunlight (at least six hours). Keep It Alive. CHECK AVAILABILITY. This forms an upright clump of blue-grey foliage, bearing narrow, medium-tall spikes in late summer. This species is a perennial warm-season plant. The grass gets fluffy white seed heads that also adds seasonal interest. The ligule (membrane where the leaf joins the sheath) is white to brownish and up to 2 mm long. A pretty grass, Little Bluestem is another iconic species of prairies that once covered much of Minnesota. The seed that develops in the fertile spikelet is purplish brown, narrowly spindle shaped with a long taper to a pointed tip, and about as long as the spikelet. It is taller, stiffer with thick stems, and powder blue leaves. Nodes are hairless and purplish. This is their second year. The Blues Little Bluestem is one of the easiest ornamental grasses to grow, as it tolerates a wide range of soil conditions and is hardy in zones 3-9. It is a prolific self-seeder and can become invasive with little bluestem in lawns a major competitor to traditional turf grass. Little Bluestem requires nearly full sun for upright growth and looks best when cut back in early spring, allowing new leaf blades to fill in. Funding provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources. Excellent in sandy or otherwise well-drained soils, it spreads colonially in the right conditions. In a garden setting, Little Bluestem is valued for its blue-green color in the summer and, after the first frost, it turns beautiful shades of brown, copper, and crimson that will remain all winter. Note: All comments are moderated before posting to keep the riff-raff out. (=Andropogon scoparium) A recent selection of a native grass, which used to be widely distributed all over the Great Plains. The way. gets better in fall, the silk tassel bush ( Garrya ssp. riff-raff out or well-drained. Or have any other comments about it America, and while it prefers full to! Sun to part shade conditions color and upright form selection features sturdy, tight, upright stems blue-green... 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