Add Grasses to Your Landscape with Big Bluestem and Little Bluestem

Ornamental grasses make a great addition to your landscape, and big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) and little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) are two outstanding choices. Their slender, flat foliage creates a diversity of texture in your gardens, and the wind moving through the foliage creates movement and a pleasant rustling sound. They bring interest to your garden, as the color of their foliage changes through the seasons, and the seed heads that follow the flowers last through the fall and winter. Big bluestem is a tall grass that can be showcased on its own or create a backdrop to highlight other showier, flowering plants, conceal unsightly objects in the landscape, or function as a privacy screen. Little bluestem is a smaller grass that can be used as an edging plant, a ground cover, or a focal point in a potted arrangement.

Warm-season, bunching, perennial grasses, big bluestem and little bluestem are two of our most important native grasses, and along with Indiangrass (Sorghastrum nutans) and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), they make up what is known as the "big four" of North America's tallgrass prairie. Over 200 years ago, the tallgrass prairie stretched from Canada to Texas, supporting herds of buffalo, elk, and antelope. The thick prairie sod was cut up and used by native Americans to build earth lodges and later by American homesteaders to form their sod houses.

As with most grasses, once established, big bluestem and little bluestem are low-maintenance plants, not prone to disease or insect pests. Their deep, fibrous root systems can extend 5 feet into the ground and laterally through upper soil, allowing them to withstand heat and drought. This dense root system also holds soil in place, making them ideal plants for erosion control. Hardy in USDA Plant Hardiness Zones 3 through 9, they prefer full sun and will tolerate a wide range of soil types, but perform best in soil that is well-drained. Too much soil fertility may lead to weak growth, a more open habit, and flopping. Their attractive seed heads can be left to provide winter interest. In late winter to early spring, use clean, sharp garden shears to cut back the old growth to the ground, readying the plant for new season growth.

While they both belong to the grass family (Poaceae) and go by the common name bluestem, they are not in the same genus. Big bluestem, Andropogon gerardii, derives its genus name from the Greek words "andros," meaning man, and "pogon," meaning beard, referring to the long white hairs on the lower part of the leaves where they attach to the stems. Blue-green to grey,  the slender, flat leaves emerge in the spring and grow to around 2 feet in length, forming tall, upright clumps. These mature to green tinted with red, and following a frost in the fall, turn darker red with lavender tones. Flower stems appear in late summer, rising above the foliage clump to bring the total height of the plant to 4 to 8 feet. The clusters of purplish flowers have a distinctive 3-parted, finger-like appearance, said to resemble turkey feet, giving rise to the plant’s other common name, turkeyfoot.

There are several cultivars that have slightly different colorations. One standout is 'Blackhawks' big bluestem, Andropogon gerardii 'Blackhawks'. So impressive is this cultivar, it was named the Perennial Plant of the Year® for 2026 by the Perennial Plant Association. More compact than many other big bluestem cultivars, its leaves are dark green when they emerge in the spring. As summer wanes and the nights become cooler, the leaves begin to turn purple and by fall have a nearly black coloration. Another characteristic of 'Blackhawks' that makes it particularly attractive to gardeners is its upright habit, making it less likely to flop over than many of the other varieties of big bluestem.

Little bluestem, Schizachyrium scoparium, derives its genus name from the Latin words "schizein," meaning split, and "achyron," meaning chaff. Selected by the Perennial Plant Association as its Perennial Plant of the Year® in 2022, this is an outstanding choice for a smaller warm-season grass. They begin growing in late spring and, on average, grow 1 to 3 feet tall, but height varies depending on variety. The leaves are long, thin, green or blue-green blades with parallel veins.  A bluish color at the base of the stems gives little bluestem its common name. In late summer, branched flower stalks emerge, growing higher than the leaves. Some of these flower stalks may reach 5 feet. Flowers are arranged in a cluster, called a spike, 1 to 3 inches long and purplish to bronze in color. Flowers are followed by fluffy, silvery-white seed heads. Frost accents the plants with a reddish tint, providing winter interest.

There are several cultivars of little bluestem, with different foliage colorations. 'The Blues', a 3-foot-tall variety, has blue leaves, red stems, and ranges in color from orange to purple in the fall. Reaching up to 4 feet, 'Standing Ovation' has wide, blue leaves with red tips that turn maroon in the fall. Less likely to flop over, 'Jazz' reaches 2 to 2.5 feet in height and has blue foliage that turns purple in the fall.

Along with beautifying your yard, big bluestem and little bluestem have many ecosystem benefits. They provide cover for ground birds and small mammals. Their seed is eaten by songbirds and upland game birds such as grouse and pheasants. They are a larval host plant for a variety of skipper caterpillars, including the crossline skipper (Polites origenes), Dakota skipper (Hesperia dacotae), cobweb skipper (Hesperia metea), Indian skipper (Hesperia sassacus), and ottoe skipper (Hesperia ottoe), many of which are endangered. Their flowers are a good pollen source for native pollinators. These are just several more reasons to incorporate these native grasses in your landscape.