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Little Bluestem 'The Blues' (Schizachyrium scoparium): Intense Blue Foliage & Fall Color

Overview

'The Blues' is a standout cultivar of Little Bluestem, a native prairie grass. It is selected for its intensely metallic blue summer foliage that transitions to brilliant shades of purple, orange, and red in autumn. Upright, clumping habit reaches 2-3 feet tall with fluffy white seed heads in fall.

Taxonomy & Nomenclature

Family:	Poaceae (poh-AY-see-ee)
Genus:	Schizachyrium (ski-za-KRY-ee-um)
Species:	scoparium (sko-PAIR-ee-um)
Cultivar:	The Blues

Cultivation & Uses

Full sun, well-drained soil. Extremely drought-tolerant once established. Poor soil improves performance; avoid rich soil and excess water which cause flopping. Ideal for native plantings, meadows, borders, and erosion control. Provides seeds for birds. Cut back in late winter.

Grasses and Bamboo: Palm Grass (Setaria palmifolia); Indian Grass (Sorghastrum nutans); Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium); Dwarf Fountain Grass 'Little Bunny' (Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Little Bunny'); Centipede Grass (Eremochloa ophiuroides): A Low-Maintenance, Acid-Loving Lawn Grass; Egyptian Grass (Dactyloctenium aegyptium): A Spreading Annual Grass with Crowfoot Seed Heads; Bear Grass (Xerophyllum tenax): Iconic Western Native for Fire-Adapted Landscapes; Grass Tree (Xanthorrhoea nana): Dwarf Australian Grasstree; Feather Grass (Stipa pennata): A European Steppe Grass with Silky, Flowing Awns; The Blues 'Little Bluestem': Blue-Green Grass Turning Bronze-Orange in Fall

Garden Articles

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Indian Grass 'Indian Steel' (Sorghastrum nutans): A Metallic-Blue Native Prairie Grass

Dallis Grass (Paspalum dilatatum): A Robust Pasture Grass with Sticky Seed Heads

Ribbon Grass 'Picta' (Phalaris arundinacea): A Variegated, Spreading Grass for Wet Sites

Quaking Grass (Briza media): A Delicate Grass with Trembling Heart-Shaped Seed Heads

Plants

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Narrow-leaved Cotton Grass (Eriophorum angustifolium): White Fluffy Heads in Bogs

Bottlebrush Grass Tree (Xanthorrhoea macronema): Slender Australian Grasstree

Himalayan Fairy Grass (Miscanthus nepalensis): A Delicate, Late-Blooming Grass from the Himalayas

Purple Moor Grass (Molinia caerulea): A Native European Grass with Airy Purple Panicles

Prairie Cordgrass (Spartina pectinata): A Tall, Native Wetland Grass for Restoration