Schizachyrium Species, Beard Grass, Little Bluestem

This is my favorite ornamental grass for gardens, besides being a prairie or meadow plant. It is not the flashiest, which is good for me,...Read More but it has a good bluish foliage color, wonderful texture, and soft foliage that feels good. The flowers and seed heads have a lovely aspect to me. It is easy to dig up and reset or divide. It does self-sow a little bit in gardens, but not lots. It is reliable, adaptable and easy to grow, best in full sun. The only disadvantage is that when the rounded clumps of spring then develop the flowering scapes in late June-July, they often fall over some. One can cut back the scapes in June and they won't fall over. When the foliage dries out in fall, the scapes become upright again. This species often develops a good orangish autumn color.

Beautiful plant of the tallgrass prairie perfectly suited for the home garden. Extremely drought tolerant and is perfect in full sun. One...Read More plant of mine is in mostly afternoon sun and grows well (though it was not very erect and needed to be tied together to look fine) while the other was in part shade. This one need to be tied up together as well and was floppy. Stays a consistent blue color when in bright sun but turns green in more shade.

Important native prairie grass, and great for smaller native gardens that would be overwhelmed by some of the taller native grasses. Lea...Read Moreves in the 2-3' range, with seed heads a bit taller. Great winter interest, in that it holds its seed heads and the stems turn a reddish/mahogany color in the fall. A large area of little bluestem in the late fall or winter is very striking.

Seed is eaten by various birds, so it is an important winter bird fodder. Also important for wildlife ground cover.

Very drought tolerant, and while it prefers full sun it will do fine in light shade.

You shouldn't need to stratify the seed (as the above file notes say), as it germinates fairly readily once the soil is warm.

Little Bluestem Schizachyrium scoparium is native to Texas and other States.