What it is
Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) is in the Poaceae (Grass) family. A signature prairie bunchgrass — blue-green in summer, copper-red in fall, and food/cover for wildlife.
How to grow it
It wants full sun, water it very low, and give it lean, well-drained soil. Target a soil pH around 6.0–8.0. Space plants about 18–24 in apart. Expect roughly Established. Hardy native grass.
How it's used
Little Bluestem is used: ornamental; wildlife cover.
🔎 How to identify it
- Blue-green summer blades
- Russet fall color
- Fluffy seed heads
Not for eating
How to grow & propagate little bluestem
Everything I've worked out about starting this one, keeping it alive through a Texas year, and turning one plant into many — free.
How to propagate little bluestem
Grasses and grains are sown where they grow — they germinate fast in warm soil and don't like having their roots disturbed. The ornamental and native bunchgrasses can also be divided in spring. For the grain types, plant in a block rather than a single row so wind-pollination fills out the heads.
Growing little bluestem in Texas
Give it full sun and lean, well-drained soil. Match the spot to the plant and most of the battle is already won.
Time your planting to our long warm season and watch the frost dates at both ends; the live weather tool on this site is built for exactly that.
Once it's rooted in, this is a low-water plant — overwatering does more harm than drought here. Water deeply to establish, then back off and let it prove how tough it is.
Harvesting
Figure on roughly established before you're harvesting.
Making more for free
If you want more, let your healthiest plants mature fully and collect the seed once it's dry on the plant — then store it somewhere cool, dark, and dry until next season.
Part of the free Texas Roots plant database, compiled by Jordan Polasek from his greenhouse in El Campo, Texas. Free to read and share. If it helped, the best thanks is to grow something.