In the longleaf pine ecosystem, the perennial big bluestem contributes to the fine flashy fuel needed for the maintenance of the ecosystem.īluestem can be used in the restoration of native vegetation in agricultural or pasture areas. Bobwhite quail and other ground-nesting birds use this clump-forming grass for nesting and forage cover. As with the other bluestems, big blue also provides excellent wildlife habitat.

This species is also a good native choice for grazing forage and is very palatable to livestock. Once it has been established, however, it provides excellent stability for sandy areas. Big blue is commonly used in erosion control plantings although it is sometimes slow to get started. However, it can tolerate a wide variety of well-drained soils and typically does well on low fertility sites. “Big blue” as it is commonly called is a climax prairie species. Individual seed heads often have three spikelets that look like a turkey foot. The seed head is coarse and not fluffy as in other bluestems. The rhizomes are short and scaly and the color of the leaves varies from light yellow-green to burgundy. This species is large and robust as bluestems go, with mature plants commonly reaching 6 to 8 feet in height. It is found from the mid-western short grass prairies to the coastal plain, where it naturally serves as fuel for periodic fire. Big bluestem ( Andropogon gerardii)īig bluestem is a warm-season grass native to the eastern two thirds of the United States. Photo by Sally and Andy Wasowski, Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center. Photos by Jennifer Anderson, USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database.įlowering big bluestem and syrphid fly. States are colored green where the species may be found.Īndropogon gerardii.

Florida blue stem grass