Description

Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) – Native Bunchgrass for Four-Season Beauty

**Online orders are available for local pickup only. When placing your order, you will select a pickup day that works best for you, and your plants will be available to pickup by 10am that day, starting May 9th. Please select a date that is at least 1 day after your order date to give us time to put your order together. Pickup is at our retail location in Lake Ann, Michigan. Please contact us with any questions!

This plant is native to Michigan and widespread across the United States.

Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) is a compact, upright native bunchgrass known for its fine blue-green summer foliage and vibrant fall color. This warm-season grass is one of the most important and versatile species in prairie ecosystems, offering habitat, structure, and seasonal interest. It thrives in full sun, dry soil, and low-maintenance landscapes—making it a perfect fit for gardens, meadows, and restoration projects.

Growing Requirements:

  • Light: Full sun
  • Soil: Dry to medium, well-drained soils; thrives in sandy or rocky soil
  • Height: 2 to 4 feet tall (including flowering stalks)
  • Spacing: Space 18–24 inches apart
  • Bloom Time: Late summer to early fall (August–October)
  • Hardiness Zones: USDA zones 3–9

Features:

  • Colorful Foliage: Blue-green blades in spring and summer turn coppery orange, red, or burgundy in fall, holding color through winter.
  • Erect Growth Habit: Neat, clumping form adds vertical structure and texture to gardens and naturalized areas.
  • Fluffy Seedheads: Delicate, shimmering seedheads emerge in late summer and provide movement, beauty, and food for birds.

Ecological Benefits:
Little Bluestem supports a wide variety of wildlife. It is a larval host plant for several native butterflies and skippers, provides nesting material and habitat for birds and small mammals, and its seeds feed songbirds through the winter. Its deep root system improves soil structure and prevents erosion, especially on slopes and poor soils.

Landscape Uses:
Use Little Bluestem in sunny borders, native meadow plantings, dry prairie gardens, or to stabilize banks and slopes. It mixes beautifully with wildflowers like black-eyed Susan, rattlesnake master, butterfly milkweed, and purple coneflower. Its tidy form and seasonal color make it a favorite for both naturalistic and modern native garden designs.

Little Bluestem is a four-season stunner that combines rugged performance with striking visual appeal—an essential native grass for any sunny, low-maintenance garden.