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Andropogon gerardi

big bluestem

Poaceae Central and eastern North America

Attracts Butterflies Deer Resistant Drought Tolerant

Native to North America

SunFull Sun

WaterLow · drought-tolerant

HardinessZones 4–9

Overview

Andropogon gerardi is a tall, warm-season perennial bunchgrass native to the prairies of central North America, where it was a dominant species of the tallgrass prairie. It forms upright clumps of blue-green foliage in summer that reach 3-6 feet (0.9-1.8 m), with flowering stems rising to 5-8 feet (1.5-2.4 m). The flat leaf blades are 0.25-0.5 inch (6-12 mm) wide and hairy at the base, shifting from blue-green to shades of bronze, copper, and reddish-purple in autumn and holding tan color through winter. From late summer into fall the stems carry seed heads split into three finger-like spikes, a form behind the alternative name turkey foot. The deep, fibrous roots reach 6-10 feet (1.8-3 m) down, anchoring the plant against drought, fire, and grazing and building soil over time. It grows in full sun on a wide range of soils, from sand to clay, and tolerates both seasonal drought and brief flooding. In rich soil or shade the tall stems lean and flop. The foliage shelters and feeds grassland birds, insects, and the caterpillars of several skipper butterflies.

Native Range

Native to central and eastern North America, from the Great Plains east to the Atlantic and from Canada south into Mexico. It was a principal grass of the tallgrass prairie and grows in prairies, meadows, open woodland, and roadsides on most well-drained soils.

Suggested Uses

Used in prairie restorations, meadow plantings, naturalistic borders, and erosion control on banks and slopes. It serves as a tall background grass, a screen, and a forage and conservation grass on rangeland.

How to Identify

Identified by tall clumps of flat, blue-green blades hairy near the base and stems that turn coppery red in autumn. The seed heads divide into three radiating finger-like spikes resembling a turkey foot. The height, branched seed heads, and bronze fall color separate it from little bluestem and indiangrass.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height3' - 8'

Width/Spread1'6" - 2'6"

Reaches mature size in approximately 3 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

red

orange

brown

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~10 weeks

Summer Fall

Flowering and seed heads appear from August into October on the tall stems. Each head splits into three spike-like branches that release wind-pollinated flowers with purplish to reddish anthers. Seed ripens through autumn and the dried heads persist into winter.

Detailed Descriptions

Foliage Description

Blue-green, bronze-red in autumn

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun

Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

sand loam clay rocky

Drainageaverage

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2-3 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grows in full sun on almost any soil from sand to heavy clay, performing most reliably where drainage is reasonable. It is hardy in USDA zones 4-9 and develops a deep root system that carries it through extended drought once established. Plants emerge late in spring and put on most growth in the heat of summer. Cutting or burning the clump to the ground in late winter clears old growth before the new season. Rich soil and shade cause the tall stems to flop, so lean, sunny sites give sturdier plants. It needs no fertilizer and spreads slowly by short rhizomes and self-seeding.

Pruning

Cut the clump back to a few inches above the ground in late winter or early spring before new shoots emerge. Burning achieves the same renewal where it is safe and permitted. No other pruning is needed through the growing season.