Bluestem, Blue Stem Grass, Bushy Beard Grass

I have three of these plants, all stemming from a volunteer seedling I let grow (to see what it was). Turns out it was this native clumpi...Read Moreng grass. One grows in an area that floods due to runoff and but they others are in normal well-drained Florida sandy soil. They all seem somewhat shade tolerant.

the seedheads are surprisingly showy and harmonize with everything even moreso than other grasses do (in my opinion) with their calm light greenish white. They look almost whimsical next to the tendrils of my passionflower.

These (and other Andropogon species) are host plants for a variety of skipper caterpillars. They also seem pretty tame (for a grass) and I think they could be planted more and would look nice in borders.

I saw some wild clumps and patches of this species growing in sandy but often wet soil near the North Carolina Aquarium at Fisher Island....Read More its native range is all of the South, the Mid-Atlantic, NY, southern New England, parts of OH & IL, and out in the southwestern US in AR, NM, NV, UT, and CA. It is a handsome native grass species with bluish-green foliage that gets about 3 to 6 feet high and 2 to 3 feet wide in a clump. It bears bushy, thick grass flower heads in late summer and early fall with silvery panicles. It develops a coppery-orange fall and winter color. It needs full sun and moist or draining wet soil. It is sold by some native plant nurseries, as New Moon Wholesale Nursery in NJ. It provides benefit for a number of beneficial insects, birds, and mammals. It is deer resistant. It should be used in naturalistic or informal landscapes.

Another common name for this plant is Bushy Beard Grass.