Ornamental Grass Little Bluestem: A Comprehensive Guide

Little Bluestem is a versatile and attractive ornamental grass that's perfect for adding texture and movement to your garden or landscape.

It's native to North America, specifically the prairies and open woods of the central and eastern regions.

Little Bluestem typically grows to be around 2-4 feet tall, making it an excellent choice for borders, mass plantings, or as a specimen plant.

Its foliage is a beautiful blue-green color, with a delicate texture that catches the eye.

Little bluestem is a great choice for Wisconsin gardens and landscapes, and it's hardy throughout the state.

It's a native North American prairie plant, found throughout the 48 contiguous states, except for the far western and coastal areas.

To get started with little bluestem, choose a location with full sun and well-drained soil.

This grass is drought-resistant, so it's perfect for areas with poor soil or dry conditions.

It's also a great option for erosion control and provides food and habitat for wildlife.

Be aware that rabbits and deer will readily graze on little bluestem, so you may need to protect it.

Little bluestem clumps typically grow 1-2 feet high until late summer, when the stems elongate into flowering stems that can reach 5 feet.

It's a slow-growing grass that emerges in spring, but continues to grow throughout the summer until the first killing frost.

The new shoots are flat and bluish, and the foliage can be various shades of blue and green, with pinkish purple striations depending on the selection or cultivar.

The plants have an upright form, but are susceptible to lodging, so they may fall over at the base.

Little bluestem grows to be an upright, roundish mound of soft, bluish-green or grayish-green blades that's about two to three feet high in May and June.

It's a relatively small plant to start with, but don't be fooled - it can grow quite tall as it initiates flowering stalks in July, reaching heights of four to five feet.

In the fall, little bluestem displays a beautiful coppery or mostly orange color with tints of red or purple, although it can take on a redder hue in sandy soils.

The plant's stems are quite unique, as they tiller within individual plants, creating a hierarchy of tillers separated by age, with the youngest in the middle and the oldest on the periphery.

Little bluestem grows best in full sun, which makes it a great choice for a sunny spot in your landscape. It's a versatile plant that can thrive on well-drained soils.

The height of your little bluestem will depend on the fertility of the soil - it'll be taller on richer soils and shorter on drier sites. This is because it tends to flop more in the late season when it's taller.

Cutting back the old leaves to 2-4 inches in late winter or early spring will help keep your little bluestem looking its best. This pruning will also help control its size.

You can divide your little bluestem in the spring to propagate new plants or to reduce the size of an old, established plant.

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Little bluestem is a drought-tolerant grass that can thrive in a variety of conditions.

It's a vital food source for several species of butterflies, including the cobweb skipper, common wood nymph, and Dakota skipper, which rely on its foliage as a larval host.

Little bluestem is also a proud symbol of two states, Nebraska and Kansas, where it holds the title of official state grass.

Little bluestem has several cultivars developed for different purposes. Some cultivars, like 'Aldous', 'Blaze', 'Camper', 'Cimmaron', and 'Pastura', were developed as pasture grasses, focusing on productivity rather than ornamental value.

For landscape use, cultivars like 'The Blues' and 'Blaze' offer great options. 'The Blues' is a popular choice, featuring deep blue foliage that turns rich purple and burgundy in the fall.

The 'Blaze' cultivar boasts erect, broom-like growth and excellent winter color. Its gray-green summer foliage turns shades of pinkish-orange, reddish-purple, or vivid red in fall.

For more insights, see: Ornamental Grass with Purple Flowers

Some cultivars are specifically bred for their unique growth habits. 'BLUE HEAVEN' (‘MinnBlueA’, plant patent 17310) and 'PRAIRIE WINDS' 'Blue Paradise' (plant patent 28145) have very upright, broom-like growth.

Here are some notable cultivars:

Little bluestem is a drought-tolerant grass, making it a great option for areas with limited water supply.

This unique characteristic allows it to thrive in environments where other plants might struggle to survive.

It's a vital food source for several species of butterflies, including the cobweb skipper and the swarthy skipper.

These butterflies rely on little bluestem as a larval host, which is a critical stage in their life cycle.

Little bluestem is also the official state grass of Nebraska and Kansas, reflecting its importance in these regions.