![]() ![]() The Illinois Getting Started Garden Guide is a guide to grow all types of plants, particularly in the Midwest, please find my book online for easy garden and plant tips. To highlight this native grass in a textural perennial bed, try planting it behind foxglove, Russian sage, and sea holly for a strong visual impact. Big bluestem is wonderful in naturalized prairies or in modern-day ornamental grass gardens. Place the tall grass in clumps at the back of the garden area with seed-bearing flowers such as echinacea, black-eyed Susan, and coreopsis planted in front. Birds use the grass clumps as protection, pick grass for their nests, and eat the seeds. Once the grass is established, digging it up to split or relocate the plant will become a challenge big bluestem’s thick root base is tough to cut through and will take heavy spades or a handsaw to separate.Ĭompanion Planting and Design – Big bluestems are a great selection for a bird garden. Big bluestem is relatively disease- and pest-free, although it’s likely to have a fungal spot in shadier conditions ignore it. No fertilizer is needed.Īdvice and Care – Cut or mow stems to the ground in late winter before new shoots appear in order to keep the plant clean looking in the garden however, do not mow or cut during its active summer growth period as that could kill the plant. Growing Tips – Water well until it’s established, then water infrequently if you want shorter plants, or water a bit more heavily if you prefer taller plants. Do not plant infertile or overly moist soils as they will become taller, develop weaker stems, and topple over in windy conditions. Once established, it readily self-seeds and has a spreading nature with good drought tolerance. When, Where, and How to Plant – Big bluestem prefers average, well-drained soils in full sun plant this grass from seed or plants in spring. Sun Requirements – Sun, Part Sun, Part Shade.Added Benefits – Attracts Beneficial Insects.Mature Height × Spread - 4 to 8 feet × 3 feet.Bloom Period and Seasonal Color - Late summer to early fall green or blue-green stems russet, purple, or bronze blooms. ![]() Below is an excerpt from the Illinois Getting Started Garden Guide which can help you get started with this astoundingly special plant for your garden. It is a hardy grass that grows up to 8-feet tall, with thick roots that grow 6- to 10-feet deep. USDA hardiness zones 4-9 are ideal for big bluestem. It grows well in temperate, arid climates with warm summers and cool winters. ![]() Big bluestem grass is an essential plant for a prairie bird garden as it provides cover for more than twenty species of songbirds and nesting sites and seeds for sparrows, wrens, and meadowlarks. Big bluestem ( Andropogon gerardi) is a warm-season, perennial bunchgrass that is native to North America. Cattle have been quite destructive to this native species: because the animals are not migratory, they will decimate areas of grass to the root level. Big bluestem is known as the “king of the prairie” and is one of the top four native grass species that colonized most of the prairies of central North America. It has interesting seed heads that branch into three parts that resemble a turkey’s foot, hence its nickname. Bluestem Grasses in Texas: A Field Guide to Native and Introduced Species Topics: Lawn & Garden Landscaping Plants & Crops Overview Identify the bluestem grasses on your property and meet your land management goals with this publication. Big Bluestem can be seeded alone or in mixtures with other tall and mid grasses such as out Big Four and Prairie Gold blends.Big bluestem grass or Turkey Foot Grass is a perennial bunchgrass with greenish-blue stems that can grow between 4 to 8 feet tall. The seed head matures in late September and October. It also provides for a highly palatable and nutritious pasture, but should not be grazed closer than 6 to 8 inches during the growing season. Big Bluestem produces a high quality, palatable hay when cut before it becomes stemmy and the seed head forms. The seed head forms three finger-like branches, giving it the shape of a turkey’s foot. The stem is round and has a reddish tint. Big Bluestem grows in large clumps, is extremely leafy and can be found growing on most all the better soils in the true prairie belt. Big Bluestem begins growth in late April, and stalks 4 to 6 feet tall appear from late August to October. It is a tall grass with short scaly underground stems and a strong, deep root system. It is a late season variety recommended for use from central Nebraska and south through Oklahoma.īig Bluestem is a native warm-season, rhizomatous, perennial bunchgrass. It has shown superior leafiness, general vigor and it equals or surpasses common Big Bluestem in disease resistance. Kaw Big Bluestem was developed in Kansas and is a superb choice for excellent forage quality.
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