Big bluestem
Andropogon gerardii
A prairie grass that stands upright right through winter, so long as the soil stays lean — feed it and it falls over.
Light Full sun, and nothing less.
Water Drought-tolerant once it has its roots down.
Height 1.8 m
Spread 2 ft 6 in
Spacing 75 cm
Spacing & sowing
- Plant spacing
- 2 ft 6 in
- In-row spacing
- 2 ft 6 in
- Between rows
- 3 ft 1 in
- Square-foot density
- Not suited to SFG
Growing
- Type
- Grass · Perennial
- Botanical family
- Mixed / other
- Sunlight
- Full sun, and nothing less.
- Watering
- Drought-tolerant once it has its roots down.
- Feeding
- Do not feed it.
- Frost tolerant
- Yes
- Flowering
- August
- Pruning
- Cut back to 15 cm in late February.
Through the year
- Apr–Aug Spring Growth
- Aug–Oct Flowering
- Oct–Dec Growing
- Dec–Dec Winter Dormancy
- Jan–Apr Winter Dormancy
Companions
Echinacea, Rudbeckia, Liatris, Ratibida
Pests & problems
- Leaf spot Leaf spot.
- Rust Rust in humid air.
- Lodging — rich soil buys height the stems cannot hold up.
The Cottage Garden Companion — the gardener's herbarium at cottagegardencompanion.com