Big Bluestem was/is the most dominant tall grass of the Midwestern prairie in the northern US, and it is also native to native meadows in the Eastern states. I've seen large, wonderful prairie restorations in my native Illinois with lots of Big Bluestem with Indiangrass and Switchgrass also present, as at Fermilab National Laboratory in Batavia, IL and the Schulenberg Prairie on the west side of Morton Arboretum in Lisle, IL, and there are quite a few more. There are some excellent native meadow restorations in southeast PA with Big Bluestem as the dominant plant, or sometimes with Indiangrass as the dominant instead. Almost any native plant nursery in the Midwest or East sells this species. A number of professional native plant landscape companies, such as Larry Weaner in Glenside, PA, use this species, as do a number of conservation organizations for native plant restorations. I bought three 'Niagara' Big Bluestem grasses in small pots sent by mail from Limerock Ornamental Grasses Inc., which used to exist in Port Matilda, PA, for my backyard natural garden, where they still are. 'Niagara' has a darker and deeper blue color than the mother species. There are a number of mail order native plant nurseries that sell the species or a few cultivars. This is a warm season grass and does not grow until May. It looks good in winter and then I cut it down in early spring. I like to set fire to the low crown a few inches high after I cut away most of the blades, as it likes a burn. Even though a wild plant will send roots very deep into the soil, this grass is easy to dig up and transplant or to divide later in spring.

Reply to this comment

Big Bluestem is a beauty from the prairies that once was the major component of our Midwestern landscape. It grows 3 to 8 feet tall and has deep green and blue leaves that turn partially fiery red with cold weather. Flowering begins in mid summer and is followed by narrow elongated seed heads resembling the feet of turkeys, hence its common name. Big Bluestem, like our other native grasses is tolerant of a wide range of soil and moisture conditions but does best in full sun and average soil. Useful for mass planting and back-lighting. (Sunlight Gardens)

Reply to this comment

The official state grass of Missouri.

Reply to this comment

State grass of Illinois.

Reply to this comment