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Poaceae
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
The enduring spirit of the American prairie.
- Family
- Poaceae
- Genus
- Schizachyrium
- Native to
- North America
- Bloom season
- Late Summer, Fall
- Type
- perennial bunchgrass
- Height
- 60–120 cm
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- well-drained, sandy or rocky
- Water
- low; drought-tolerant
- Hardiness
- 3–9
- Lifespan
- perennial; decades in healthy prairie
Did you know
- It was the dominant grass of the tallgrass prairie, once covering hundreds of millions of acres across central North America.
- The 'blue' in bluestem refers to the blue-green tint at the base of the stems during the growing season.
- In autumn, it transforms into a stunning copper-orange that catches the light like prairie fire.
- Its deep root system can extend 1.5 meters underground, making it superb for erosion control.
- Named the official state grass of Nebraska in 2014 and Kansas in 2010.
Color meanings
Bronze
resilience and warmth
Silver
quiet beauty of native landscapes