Schizachyrium scoparium

Common Names

Little Bluestem, Beard Grass, Prairie Beard Grass, Broom Beard Grass

Summary

Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) is a native North American warm-season bunchgrass forming upright clumps about 2–4 feet tall. Foliage is blue-green, turning copper, orange, or red in fall; flowering stalks rise with purplish-bronze blooms and fluffy silver-white seed heads that persist through winter. Drought-tolerant and adaptable, it thrives in full sun on dry to well-drained soils and suits prairie restorations, borders, meadows, wildlife habitat, and erosion-control plantings; cultivars such as Blues, Carousel, Prairie Blues, Standing Ovation, and The Blues offer color and habit variation.

Propagation is by seed or division, with late-winter pruning to encourage new growth. It provides wildlife benefits as a seed source for birds and as a larval host for skipper butterflies, and is generally low-maintenance for mass plantings, meadows, borders, rain gardens, and native gardens in sunny, well-drained sites. Its drought tolerance and broad soil tolerance—from sand to clay—support restoration, erosion control, and prairie-style landscapes.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

2-4 feet

Spread

18-24 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3-9

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full Sun, tolerates Partial Sun and Partial Shade.

Soil Type

Well-drained, dry to moderately moist soil

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil (dry to medium, not wet)

Soil pH

5.0-8.0

Schizachyrium scoparium tolerates acidic to alkaline soils; no single ideal pH.

Bloom Color

Purple/Lavender

Bloom Time

Summer through Fall

Foliage Color

Blue-green foliage that turns red, copper, and orange in fall

Fall Foliage Color

Orange, Copper, Red, Bronze, Yellow

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

Fast growth; reaches ultimate height in 2–5 years

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.

Propagation Methods

Seeds and Division

Attracts Wildlife

Bees, butterflies, birds, and other pollinators are attracted.