Back to species databaseGrass / Sedge / Rush

Little Bluestem

Schizachyrium scoparium

Photo coming soon
Category
Grass / Sedge / Rush
Sun
Full to Partial
Soil moisture
Medium to Dry
Bloom time
Jul–Oct
Notes
Warm

About Little Bluestem

Little Bluestem is a celebrated native bunchgrass that offers year-round beauty and exceptional ecological value. This mid-sized grass grows in attractive clumps 2 to 4 feet tall, featuring slender blue-green stems in summer that transform into a spectacular mahogany-red or coppery-orange in the fall. Its fluffy, silver-white seed heads catch the autumn light and persist through winter, providing critical food and cover for songbirds. Native to nearly every state in the U.S., it is incredibly adaptable, thriving in full sun and well-drained soils ranging from dry sands to moist loams. Little Bluestem is a larval host for several species of skipper butterflies and provides nesting material for native bees. Its deep, fibrous root system makes it an excellent choice for erosion control and drought-tolerant landscaping. This grass is a cornerstone of the tallgrass prairie and brings a sense of wild, natural elegance to any garden or meadow restoration project.

Native range

Native to 47 states:

AlabamaArkansasArizonaCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutD.C.DelawareFloridaGeorgiaIowaIdahoIllinoisIndianaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMassachusettsMarylandMaineMichiganMinnesotaMissouriMississippiMontanaNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaNebraskaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkOhioOklahomaPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVirginiaVermontWashingtonWisconsinWest VirginiaWyoming

County range map

BONAP county-level native range map for Schizachyrium scoparium

Range map courtesy of BONAP (Biota of North America Program).

Have more questions on Little Bluestem?

the prairie farm FORUM

Want to grow Little Bluestem?

Get a Quote