Blue Stem Grass

Schizachyrium

* photo taken @ U.S. Botanical Garden, Wash., DC on Aug 25 2014

Schizachyrium scoparium ( Little Bluestem )
Also called Andropogon scoparius. A moderate growing, deep-rooted ( up to 8 feet ), long-lived, upright perennial grass, reaching up to 3.5 x 3.5 ( rarely over 3 ) feet, is native to tall grass prairie ecosystems in North America ( from Dawson Creek, British Columbia to Calgary, Alberta to Rainy River, Ontario to Thunder Bay, Ontario to Manitoulin Island and Killarney, Ontario to Quebec to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia; south to Arizona to southern Texas to Florida ). It is also found on sand dunes in the Great Lakes region. It is locally abundant in the Constance Bay Sandhills near Ottawa, Ontario. It is an important host plant of multiple species of Skipper Butterflies.
The foliage is blue-green, turning coppery-orange to deep red in autumn.
The silvery-pink flower plumes, up to 3 inches in length, are borne mid-summer into early autumn. They are followed by fluffy white seedheads that persist into winter.
Hardy zones 2 to 9 in full sun and requires well drained soil. Easy to grow and tolerant of drought, poor soils, sand, heavy clay, saline and alkaline soils but not wet soil. Deer resistant, it is not prone to pests or disease. Cut back during early spring. Propagation is from seed or division during early spring.

* photo taken on Feb 15 2011 in Howard Co, MD




* photo of unknown internet source


* photo taken on Oct 24 2014 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Oct 10 2016 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken by Jennifer Anderson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

* photos taken on Sep 18 2016 @ Patuxent Research Refuge, Laurel, MD

* photo taken on Sep 25 2016 near Reisterstown, MD

* photos taken on Sep 28 2018 @ Howard Comm College, Columbia, MD

* photos taken on June 26 2019 @ Howard Comm. College, Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Sep 10 2019 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Aug 23 2021 in Grand Bend, ON

* photo taken by L. Glasscock @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database Southern wetland flora

* USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

'Aldous'
Reaches up to 4 feet in height, is known to be rust resistant and taller on average. It was developed in Kansas and was released by the USDA in 1966. It is especially well adapted to southeastern Wyoming, eastern Colorado and the central Plains.

* Photos courtesy of USDA NRCS.

'Badlands Ecotype'
Reaching up to 3.3 feet. It originated as a USDA release composed of a combination of superior plants found on 68 sites in the western Dakotas. It is considered to be very well adapted, more vigorous and disease resistant in the northern Great Plains ( from southern Saskatchewan to southwest Manitoba; south to northeast Wyoming to northeast Nebraska ). It is also useful in mass landscape plantings if spaced between 1 and 2 feet apart.
The foliage is typically mid-green through may be blue tinged on occasion.
The seed typically matures a month earlier than the cultivar 'Blaze'.
Hardy zones 2 to 4, prescribed burning during late winter tends to increase forage quality for livestock, burning during severe drought creates too much heat and can cause great damage to the crown of the plant.

* Photo courtesy of USDA NRCS.

'Blaze'
Reaches up to 4.2 x 2.5 feet, with blue-foliage that turns to intense-red during autumn, then to bright pink during winter.

'Blue Heaven'
Vigorous and more upright in habit, reaching up to 4.6 x 3.3 ( rarely over 4 x 3 ) feet with deep blue foliage that tinges reddish later in summer then finally to intense red, violet or purple during autumn. It is very sturdy and the foliage often stays upright even in moderate snowfall.

* photo taken on July 11 2014 @ U.S. Botanical Gardens, Washington, DC

* photos taken on Oct 21 2014 @ U.S. Botanical Gardens, Washington, DC

* photos taken on Aug 13 2017 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Aug 3 2017 in Bayfield, ON

* photos taken on Aug 9 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 1 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 22 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Oct 27 2023 @ Howard Community College, Columbia, MD

'Blue Paradise'
Forms a vigorous, dense, upright clump, up to 3.3 x 2.4 feet in 3 years, eventually reaching up to 3.8 feet in height.
The foliage is bright silvery-blue, turning to deep red during autumn.
Hardy zones 3 to 8

* photos taken on Sep 9 2024 in Columbia, MD

'Chameleon'
Vigorous and compact, forms a foliage clump up to 1.5 x 2 feet.
The foliage is longitudinally striped white, turning to pinkish-purple by autumn.
The pinkish flower stems up to to 3.3 feet high.
Hardy zones 3 to 8 ( possibly 2 )

* patent photo

'Smoke Signal'
Vigorous and very sturdy upright in habit, reaching up to 3.5. x 1.5 feet in 3 years, eventually to 4 x 2 feet.
The blue-green foliage turns to deep reddish-purple by early autumn. The leaves are up to 12 x 0.3 inches in size.
Hardy zones 3 to 8

* patent photo

'Standing Ovation'
Vigorous and strongly upright, not flopping over, reaching up to 4 x 2.2 feet.
The foliage is intense blue-green and the stems are tinged deep purple. During autumn the foliage turns to intense yellow, orange and red.
Hardy zones 3 to 8. It has good rust resistance.

* photo taken on Sep 23 2013 in Burtonsville, MD

* photos taken on Sep 9 2024 in Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 22 2024 in Columbia, MD

'The Blues'
Forms a clump, up to 3 x 4.5 feet high of intense-blue, soft, hairy foliage that becomes tinted deep red during autumn. Looks great in mass plantings on berms and for erosion control.
The soft, pinkish seed heads reach up to 5 feet in height.

* photo taken on June 30 2013 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC

* photos taken on Aug 25 2013 @ University of Maryland, College Park

* photo taken on Sep 14 2013 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Aug 3 2014 @ National Zoo, Washington, DC

* photos taken on Aug 5 2015 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Jul 17 2017 in Ottawa, ON

* photo taken on Oct 31 2018 @ Howard Comm College, Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 27 2023 @ Howard Community College, Columbia, MD

* photos taken on Oct 22 2024 @ Howard Comm. College, Columbia, MD

'Twilight Zone'
Fast growing, dense and upright in habit, reaching up to 3.8 x 2.5 feet in 3 years, eventually up to 4.5 x 2.5 feet. It originated at Walters Gardens in Zeeland, Michigan.
This cultivar stands out from others with the very attractive blue-green foliage turning to silvery-violet during mid-summer. The foliage then turns to bright purple during autumn.
Hardy zones 3 to 8

* photo taken on Sep 20 2021 in Columbia, MD