Non-native plants this species can replace:
- Fountain grass (Pennisetum setaceum)
- Yellowgroove bamboo (Phyllostachys aureosulcata)
Common Name
Big bluestem
Turkeyfoot
Plant Form
Grasses, Sedges & Rushes
Duration
Perennial
Max Height (ft)
8.0
Width (ft)
2.0 -
3.0
Region
Coastal
Piedmont
Mountain
Hardiness Zone
5,
6,
7,
8,
9
Commercially Available
Nurseries that may carry live plant:
Nurseries that may carry seeds:
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Habitat
Dry woodlands, barrens, and outcrops of limestone, dolostone, mafic rocks, and moderately to strongly calcareous shales and sandstones; riverside prairies and outcrops, rocky and gravelly river shores and bars, clearings, fens, alluvial meadows and fields. Frequent and locally common in the Virginia Piedmont and mountains; rare in the Coastal Plain.
Wildlife value
Members of the genus Andropogon support Common Wood-Nymph (Cercyonis pegala) larvae. Adult Common Wood-Nymph butterflies feed on rotting fruit and flower nectar. This plant also supports various Skipper larvae as well as other butterfly larvae
Flower Color
Blue
Brown/Copper
Red/burgandy
Flower Prominence
Reduced
Bloom Time
Late Summer
Fall
Bloom Month
July
August
September
October
Light Requirements
Full sun
Moisture Requirements
Average
Moist
Soil Texture
Clay
Sandy
Deer Resitant
Yes
Pollinators
Butterfiles