Big Bluestem
Andropogon gerardi
Also listed as Sorghum provinciale
Also known as Turkeyfoot, Tall Bluestem, Blue-stem-grass
Climate Match for your location
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A native warm-season grass with distinctive three-pronged seed heads that resemble a turkey foot. It forms upright clumps and turns striking reddish-purple in fall.
Why grow it
Big bluestem offers reliable structure and late-season color in prairie and savanna plantings where cool-season grasses dominate. Compared to other warm-season bunchgrasses like indiangrass or switchgrass, it establishes more slowly but provides distinct visual interest through its characteristic three-pronged inflorescences and burgundy fall foliage. It tolerates a wide range of soil conditions and requires no fertilization once established, making it suitable for low-input perennial plantings across much of eastern North America.
Watch out for
This grass can take two to three years to reach full productivity, so interplanting with faster-establishing species may help fill space during establishment. In extremely wet or poorly drained soils, growth may be stunted or plants may decline, so site selection matters more than most warm-season grasses.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Poaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Central and eastern North America
Native to: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
A native warm-season grass with distinctive three-pronged seed heads that resemble a turkey foot. It forms upright clumps and turns striking reddish-purple in fall.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Big Bluestem grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Big bluestem offers reliable structure and late-season color in prairie and savanna plantings where cool-season grasses dominate. Compared to other warm-season bunchgrasses like indiangrass or switchgrass, it establishes more slowly but provides distinct visual interest through its characteristic three-pronged inflorescences and burgundy fall foliage. It tolerates a wide range of soil conditions and requires no fertilization once established, making it suitable for low-input perennial plantings across much of eastern North America.
Watch out for
This grass can take two to three years to reach full productivity, so interplanting with faster-establishing species may help fill space during establishment. In extremely wet or poorly drained soils, growth may be stunted or plants may decline, so site selection matters more than most warm-season grasses.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Poaceae
Native to the United States
Native Range
Central and eastern North America
Native to: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Wyoming
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Propagation
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