![]() ![]() If the plants are allowed to remain standing through the winter, they provide shape, texture, and color into the winter months. Frost turns the plants a reddish or coppery color that remains through the winter. The fluffy plumes look great backlit or as part of a cut arrangement. The flowers are scattered in a single cluster, with long hairs creating a white, feathery appearance to the seedheads. The stems are eventually topped in late summer or early fall by 3″ long, fluffy inflorescences that range in color from blue to silvery gold or white. The plants have an upright form but with their open to spreading habit and fine texture, they are susceptible to lodging (falling over at the base).įall color. The foliage can be various shades of blue and green, and even with pinkish purple striations, depending on the selection or cultivar. ![]() The leaves are soft-looking, narrow, and smooth, except at the base next to the sheath where they are often covered with hair. It is slow to emerge in the spring but continues to grow through the summer until the first killing frost. Little bluestem clumps grow 1-2 feet high, until late summer when the stems elongate into flowering stems which may reach 5 feet. However, it is also readily grazed by deer. It is also useful for erosion control and provides food and wildlife habitat for songbirds, upland gamebirds, and small mammals. ![]() This plant, like many other prairie grasses, has an extensive, deep root system, allowing it to do well on poor sites, such as the dry, upland sites and along hillsides and ridges where it is typically found growing naturally. Once established it is a drought-resistant, easy-care addition to the home landscape. This warm-season, clumping grass performs well in most areas of the country, in zones 2 or 3-10. As its name suggests, this perennial has silvery-blue stems (particularly at the base) and leaves, making it an attractive addition to the landscape. Little bluestem, Schizachyrium scoparium, is a North American prairie native found throughout the 48 contiguous states, except for the far western, coastal areas. Ornamental grasses have become very popular over the last several years. ![]()
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