Little Bluestem is a perennial, warm-season grass that may grow to 5 feet. Purple-bronze racemes form above the clump of leaves and appear in August. Pollinators are responsible for assisting over 80% of the world's flowering plants. This bunch grass also provides cover for small wildlife. Native to all US (except OR, NV, CA: Biota of North America Program (BONAP) – North American Plant Atlas (NAPA). Provides excellent cover year round. It is attractive planted en masse and would make an excellent addition to a rain garden. This photo was taken in December. Sponsor Signage. (Schizachyrium scoparium) Little Bluestem prefers full sun and is extremely drought tolerant. The root system is fibrous and short-rhizomatous. It is a clumping grass. Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) is native to prairies, fields, clearings, hills, limestone glades, roadsides, waste areas and open woods. Wisconsin Fruit Trees Blooms from June-October. Vital species for reclamation and conservation. Some of the native bees like to nest at the base of native grasses such as Little Bluestem https://xerces.org/blog/plants-for-pollinators-little-bluestem Standing Ovation little bluestem- Colostate Do not only plant a variety of plants that bloom at once, but that grow and bloom throughout the year. Monday, Bluestem posted about how the MN House Ag Policy committee was likely to delete pollinator-friendly language from omnibus bill. Big bluestem: Big bluestem grows up to 6 feet tall and has a beautiful purple-blue seedhead in the fall. Found throughout the lower provinces of Canada and all states of the U.S., except Nevada and Washington. It performs best in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun.  Wisconsin Edible Berry Shrubs Little bluestem: Host to Skippers (Dakota). It is a much richer (darker) hue than the Big Bluestem fall color. Pollinator Plant Profile: Little bluestem This fact sheet contains information on planting and growing little bluestem, Schizachyrium scoparium. Flat linaer leaves 1/4" wide form attractive clumps of light blue at the base turn orange-yellow in fall and persist into winter giving intrest to the landscape. Aster ‘October Skies’ with the dark purple blooms of ‘Purple Dome’ aster with a backdrop of little bluestem Little Bluestem is often used in prairie restorations and it is occasionally found in gardens as an ornamental grass. Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems:  This plant suffers from too much mulch near the crown. Fruits are available July-November. The tartarian aster gets cut down as it would fall into other plants or on to the vehicle entrance, making the area appear untended. Native plantings can be beautiful, but their benefits go far beyond aesthetics. Swarthy Skipper Additionally, various small songbirds eat the seed of Little Bluestem during the Fall/Winter. Tolerates clay soils. Currently, the cultivation of the Weld Hill Solar Meadow is well underway, with an initial cover crop of partridge pea ( Chamaecrista fasciculata ) growing there to support pollinators and fix nitrogen to the soil. Throughout much of the Midwest, you will see Little Bluestem growing along roadsides. Big bluestem: Host to Ottoe Skipper. Performs well in poor soils. Little bluestem attracts butterflies and other pollinators but is not appealing to deer. In fall plants turn a showy coppery orange overall. Garden design, install, & maintenance. Schizachyrium scopartium, Little Bluestem. Besides their beautiful fall color, these denizens of the prairie provide great texture and structure in the winter garden, too. Tolerate of both alkaline and acid soils. form a strategic partnership called N.C. Little bluestem is an upright grass that grows from 2 to 4 feet tall. Above, Gardener Brendan Keegan collects a native prairie grass, little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), at Bird Park in Walpole, MA. Schizachyrium is tough and adaptable, tolerant of a range of moisture conditions from average to nearly arid. This is a larval host plant that supports various skipper larvae and Common Wood-Nymph (Cercyonis pegala) which have one brood from late May to October. Put in poor soils and let it be—you’ll get a beautiful show. Little Bluestem Garden Design is a garden consulting and design business focused on creating beautiful and environmentally beneficial native plant landscapes! habitat for pollinators and for beneficial insects that suppress crop pests. Each pollinator plant profile has a bulleted list of information, including the plant’s common and scientific names, its growth habit, plant family, pollinators, and bloom period in Oklahoma. Outstanding eastern native meadow species. Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day). Flowers in late summer with very erect fine textured needle-like pikes. FS, Zone 3, 3-3.5’ x 2’, medium to dry, deer and rabbit resistant. Adult Common Wood-Nymph butterflies feed on rotting fruit and flower nectar. Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) is native to prairies, fields, clearings, hills, limestone glades, roadsides, waste areas and open woods. Habitats include hill prairies, gravel prairies, sand prairies, black soil prairies, clay prairies, scrubby barrens, rocky slopes of thinly wooded bluffs, sandy savannas, hilltop glades (limestone, sandstone, or shale), sand dunes, gravelly areas along railroads, and abandoned fields. Little Bluestem is a very important plant for pollinators in that it is a larval host to over a dozen of insects. Call Us Today! The leaves and stems frequently have a bluish cast in summer, while the fall color is a very warm copper that does not fade throughout winter. Fluffy light catching seed clusters follow. Orange-yellow fall color. In late summer inconspicuous flowers are held on branched stems above the leaves. N.C. Birds eat the seeds. This includes skipper butterflies and grasshoppers. Larval host for many species of butterflies and moths (Ottoe Skipper, Crossline Skipper, Dusted Skipper, Cobweb). Side oats grama: Leafhoppers, grasshoppers, and stinkbugs eat the foliage. Purplish bronze seed heads and yellow-orange leaves make for great fall interest in the landscape. Cooperative Extension prohibits discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, sex (including pregnancy), disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, and veteran status. Many pollinators overwinter in clumps of grasses such as little bluestem and switchgrass. Little Bluestem is a 2' to 4' tall native perennial warm season bunch grass. Little bluestem-Schizachyrium scoparium. Good drought tolerance. It is a dominant grass of the Tallgrass Prairie region. They establish quickly on disturbed soilsperfect for banks, slopes, and restorations. Purplish-bronze flowers appear in 3 inch long racemes on branched stems rising above the foliage in August. These plants are critical to their life cycle and survival. Our specialties include: Wildlife & Pollinator gardens for hummingbirds, butterflies, bees, and songbirds . FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Schizachyrium scoparium is a mounding grass with narrow green or blue-green foliage. One of the most widely distributed native grasses in North America. It was one of the dominant grasses of the vast tallgrass prairie region which once covered rich and fertile soils. Little Bluestem is a low-maintenance, no-fuss plant that combines toughness and beauty. WHAT ARE POLLINATORS AND WHY SHOULD YOU CARE? Ottoe Skipper 5. Schizachyrium scoparium, commonly known as little bluestem or beard grass, is a North American prairie grass native common to the United States, but most common in the Midwestern prairies. Little Bluestem grass Switchgrass Indiangrass Big Bluestem grass. They also shine in meadows, prairi… Many consider the most outstanding ornamental feature of this grass to be its bronze-orange fall foliage color. Overwintering host for bees and other pollinators. Valuable plant for meadow and prairie gardens. The foliage provides excellent color all season-long and creates the perfect backgrop for prairie flowers. Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions. Flowers are followed by clusters of fluffy, silvery-white seed heads which are attractive and often persist into winter. It was one of the dominant grasses of the vast tallgrass prairie region which once covered rich and fertile soils. Leaves: Summer/Fall/Winter; Bloom: Late Summer/Fall; Fruit/Seed/Nut: Fall/Winter. Pollinators in Georgia. Little bluestem is an erect, native, warm-season, perennial, solid-stemmed grass that exhibits both a caespitose and a sod-forming habit [10,127,155,283,284,287]. It is able to grow on both acidic and alkaline soils. As an ornamental it is a valued plant in borders, native gardens, and wildflower meadows. Densely mounded, Little Bluestem reaches … It is found naturally in a wide range of moist to dry habitats. A native ornamental grass (Poaceae) with attractive blue-green foliage. It is well-adapted to southern climates as it tolerates high heat and humidity. The majority of pollinators in North Dakota are insects ... Little bluestem 5% 4.5 0.23 Big bluestem 5% 7.5 0.38 Green needlegrass 5% 7.5 0.38 . o Willow Amsonia, Aster, Little Bluestem (National Arboretum) o Salvia, Prairie dropseed, Sedges, Geranium (Northwind Perennial Farm) § For efficient pollination – continuous cover § Join forces with your neighbors (Rudbeckia, allium…) § Even a window box will help (Ebert’s Greenhouse Village) NC State University and N.C. A&T State University work in tandem, along with federal, state and local governments, to Pollinators Fact Sheet Revised, June 2012 6. The foliage of this natural beauty adds a kaleidoscope of pastel colors in summer and coppery tones in fall. All citizens of Georgia will benefit from an increased awareness of the importance of pollinators in our overall ecosystem.  Wisconsin Native Plant Nurseries, Widsconsin Edible Plants-Eat On The Wild Side. Mining beetles, thrips, and leafhoppers eat the foliage. ... One Wildflower Mix seed bag and one Little Bluestem Grass seed bag. The site, located just off of First Street in Smithton Borough, has been planted with native nectar-rich wildflowers and other beneficial native plants. ... Attract Pollinators & Do Good For The Environment; New Designs For 2020. Little Bluestem is a highly ornamental native grass prized for its blue-green leaf color and upright form. Performs best in cooler climates. Perennial. Seeds are eaten by songbirds and small mammals. Western Pollinator Mix contains native wildflowers to provide nectar and pollen to bees, butterflies, flies, wasps and other pollinators in the western U.S. However, it does tolerate a wide range of soil conditions including infertility and clay. This is a warm season grass, so … The Lima Plaza Pollinator Garden was conceived in 2018 as a way to educate the community about the important role of pollinators in our ecosystem. 3. CHECK AVAILABILITY. Cut back to the ground in early spring to promote new attractive growth. As with other Little Bluestem, Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Smoke Signal’ supports pollinators and provides winter food, nesting material, and cover for birds. We grow one species of Schizachyrium, the North American native Schizachyrium scoparium, commonly known as Little Bluestem.  8 Dandelion Recipes Caterpillars of the following Skipper butterflies all feed on Little Bluestem Foliage; 1. Pollinators need our help! Read our Commitment to Diversity | Read our Privacy Statement. Cooperative Extension, which staffs local offices in all 100 counties and with the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. ... Little Bluestem is a warm-season bunchgrass that is native to most of North America. Little bluestem is generally nonrhizomatous , but occasionally on wet sites it may form an open or loose sod with short rhizomes connecting small tufts . Easily grown in average, dry to medium moisture, well-drained soil in full sun. Little Bluestem is a perennial, warm-season grass that may grow to 5 feet. It is truly an important plant for the e… Little Bluestem can be planted for erosion control and will attract wildlife. Crossline Skipper 2. Dusted Skipper 3. The dried foliage and flower stalks of little bluestem grass should be cut back to make way for the new spring foliage—but not until late March because the seeds provide winter food for song birds. Purple-bronze seed heads give excellent fall and winter interest. In the Barn Garden plants are removed as they start to look shabby, leaving only the ones that remain upright and tidy through the winter such as little bluestem and ironweed ‘Iron Butterfly’ until spring cleanup. Indian Skipper 4. The garden provides information about the use of native, low-water plants in the landscape and the beneficial relationship between these plants and pollinators. The leaves and stems frequently have a bluish cast in summer, while the fall color is a very warm copper that does not fade throughout winter. It has drought resistance once established. Pollinators Fact Sheet . There are many cultivars available, which means it can be difficult to find the straight species in trade. Trees and shrubs Lead plant: This shrub grows up to 3 feet tall and has spikes of tiny purple flowers that are beneficial for bees, butterflies, moths, beetles and other pollinating insects. Twilight Zone Little Bluestem Photo courtesy Walters Gardens. Notes: Schizachyrium scoparium (Little Bluestem) is an important native grass for wildlife that is beautiful in meadow plantings in mass, reseeds somewhat freely. It is perhaps best adapted to well-drained, dry, poor soils. That came to pass--then the committee heard passionate testimony about the original language was a common sense first step for allowing the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to study and gather data about seeds treated with pesticides. Little Bluestem ~ Schizachyrium scoparium (Andropogon scoparius) This is the time of year when Little Bluestem turns an amazing rusty red color. Birds eat the seeds.  Widsconsin Edible Plants-Eat On The Wild Side It typically matures to 2-4 feet tall, and features upright clumps of slender, flat, linear green leaves , with each leaf having a tinge of blue at the base. Little Bluestem, ‘Camper’ A long-lived bunchgrass with dense roots that can grow to 8' deep; good for upland meadows where sight lines are important; used for erosion control on droughty sites; provides summer forage for livestock; a source of food and cover for wildlife; grows with open exposed surfaces that host ground nesting pollinators.