One of the widest-ranging native grasses, Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) is a highly ornamental and widely tolerant native prairie grass. Beginning with bluish-green new growth in Spring and finishing with orange to russet fall color that lasts well into the winter, Little Bluestem is an all-seasons interest plant to include in the landscape.
Growing from 2 to 4 feet tall, depending on site moisture and nutrition, Little Bluestem is a warm-season bunch grass, making most of its annual growth in the hot, humid conditions of mid-Summer. The blades are very narrow, giving the plants a fine, fountain-like texture which is sharply contrasted by the stout, vertical flowering stalks later in the season.
While the plants grow in clumps, massing them together in large drifts makes for the most interesting visual impact in the lansdcape. A good example of this is the meadow at Mount Cuba Center, which is mainly comprised of Little Bluestem.
Native to a vast region of North America, Little Bluestem is one of the widest-ranging native prairie grasses. It is one of the common grasses of the Tallgrass Prairies that once covered much of the midwest, though it is also a common meadow grass in the Eastern Broadleaf Forest region that covers most of the Eastern USA and Southeastern Canada.
Little Bluestem Ecological Function and Landscape Uses
Ecological Function: Supporter
Little Bluestem doesn’t support a huge variety of caterpillars, but it is an important larval food source for six species of Skippers, a unique tiny butterfly with wings that have a pop-up book look about them.
Apart from skippers, there are quite a few insects that feed on little bluestem. Perhaps the most important function of little bluestem and other clump-forming warm season grasses is that queen bumblebees often nest in the bases of the clumps over the winter.
Landscape Function: Filler
While it could double as as an accent, I place Little Bluestem as a Filler in landscape design. Large drifts of little bluestem have an incredible look and dynamic to them, swaying in the wind in the classic prairie look. The blue leaves and the warm autumn coloring offer much for a nature-driven lansdscape, and the plants establish quickly and even spread around by seed.
Cultivation: How to Grow Little Bluestem
Little bluestem is very easy to grow in average to moist garden soils, as long as the soil is reasonably well-drained. The plants will grow in clay soil as long as water doesn’t pond at any point of the year.
Little bluestem requires full sun to do well, the plants tend to flop over and don’t fill in very well the more shade they receive. Growing across a large native range, it adapts to many different soil types and PH levels.
Little Bluestem is best planted as either seed or plugs, if starting from seed the plants will take 2 growing seasons to reach full size. Space 9 to 12 inches apart for a full, dense stand.
Little Bluestem Photo Gallery
Schizachyrium scoparium attributes
| Common Name: | Little Bluestem |
| Botanical Name: | Schizachyrium scoparium |
| USDA Hardiness Zones: | 3-9 |
| Height: | 12-24 in. (up to 48 in. in bloom) |
| Spread: | 18-24 in. |
| Spacing: | 12-18 in. |
| Growth Rate: | Medium |
| Flower Color: | n/a |
| Bloom Season: | Late Summer |
| Foliar Texture: | Fine |
| Habit: | Fountain |
| Light Exposure: | Full Sun to Part Shade |
| Soil Moisture: | Moist to Dry, Well Drained |
| Soil Texture: | Clay Loam to Sandy Loam |
| Soil PH: | Acidic to Alkaline |
| Landscape Role: | Filler |
| Ecological Function: | Supporter |
| Other Benefits: | Clay Tolerant, Heat Tolerant, Deer Resistant, Rabbit Resistant |