Big Bluestem , Tall Bluestem
Andropogon gerardii Vitman
Poaceae
Description
Slender stems grow from short rootstocks. Produces tall, slim culms. The lower sheaths and leaves are usually fuzzy and very hairy. The seed heads usually come out in three branches, resembling a turkey foot. Seed matures in the fall. The ligule extends across the leaf collar, which is square. Cattle prefer this grass, so it decreases with heavy grazing. Big Bluestem is a perennial, warm-season, native reaching 36 to 76 inches or 0.9 to 1.9 m tall. Good grazing for livestock. Poor forage for wildlife. Provides cover, nesting sites, and seeds for a variety of bird species. It also serves as a larval host for certain butterfly species.Habitat
It's usually found growing on sandy or loamy soils. Native habitat includes low meadows and prairies. It is most abundant in the central plains but also a prairie component in moist grasslands.Images
Plant Characteristics
Duration: Perennial
Stem Texture: Hairy
Growth Habit: Bunch grass, Grasses
Leaf Shape
: Simple with Pinnate or Parallel Venation
Season: Warm
Distribution
: 01 - Pineywoods, 02 - Gulf Prairies and Marshes, 03 - Post Oak Savannah, 04 - Blackland Prairies, 05 - Cross Timbers and Prairies, 06 - South Texas Plains, 07 - Edwards Plateau, 08 - Rolling Plains, 09 - High Plains, 10 - Trans-Pecos
Distributions
Distribution refers to the ecological region in Texas that a plant has been found. You can also view a clickable map.
Book: Know Your Grasses (B-182)
Collection: Grasses
