Ornamental grass
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
Steel-blue summer blades that ignite copper-red for fall and winter. Spectacular in drifts.
- Native
- Deer-resistant
Quick facts
- Hardiness
- USDA zones 3–9
- Water
- Very low once established
- Sun
- Full sun
- Size
- 2–4 ft tall × 18–24 in. wide
- Bloom & interest
- Blue-green summer blades turn copper-red in fall with silvery seed tufts
- Plant type
- Ornamental grass
- Native range
- Native to most of the US and Canada east of the Rockies, including the Front Range and Texas
Why we recommend it
A versatile native prairie grass that turns brilliant red in fall with silvery seed stalks, hosts skipper butterflies, and shrugs off drought in nearly every US region.
Best regions: Front RangeHigh DesertTexasGreat BasinSouthwest
How to grow it
Watering to establish
Water weekly the first summer; established clumps need no supplemental water in most of the West.
Pruning
Leave standing through winter; cut to 3–4 in. in early spring before new growth.
Soil
Lean, well-drained soil. Rich soil or extra water makes it flop.
Pairs well with
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Where to buy
Shop Little Bluestem from trusted growers. For the best selection of xeric plants, try a mail-order specialist or ask a local independent nursery.
- High Country Gardens (opens in a new tab)Xeric specialist
- Nature Hills Nursery (opens in a new tab)Wide selection
- American Meadows (opens in a new tab)Perennials & seeds
- Etsy (opens in a new tab)Small growers
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