Grass – BLUESTEM
Brushy Bluestem, photo by Tom Pottermore (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
BLUESTEM, BIG (Andropogon gergardii) – Turkeyfoot Tall prairie grass with three pronged flowers in the size and shape of a turkey’s foot, normally 4-6′ tall but can reach 12′ in heavy rich soil. Large growing grass native to Texas, perennial, full sun, best planting time is winter or spring.
BLUESTEM, BUSHY (Andropogon glomeratus) – “Brushy Bluestem”, ideal for home gardens as it tolerates lots of moisture without getting top heavy, native to eastern part of Texas, grows in bogs savannahs and swales, 2-5′ tall by 2′ wide, a slender grass that has a blue-green summer color, in autumn its cottony-silver seed heads remain showy for two months then taking on a coppery color in winter. use next to water feature or in perennial flower garden, full sun, contrasts well with inland sea oats. Does well under irrigation.
BLUESTEM, LITTLE (Schizachyrium scoparitum) – Height 2 – 4’ Perennial bunchgrass. Native statewide. Silver blue foliage turns coppery brown after freeze. Flowers July – September. Also called alkali grass, desert salt grass and prairie beardless broom.