Andropogon ternarius ~ Splitbeard Bluestem

Andropogon ternarius ~ Splitbeard BluestemSplitbeard Bluestem is a native grass that has refined but sturdy blue green foliage that becomes multicolored with blues, purples and reds in fall. The spikelets have tips covered in bright white hairs that catch the sun and are prized for use in dried and fresh flower arrangements. Grows best in full sun and moist, loamy well drained soils. The Andropogon genus is a host plant for the Common Wood Nymph butterfly and various skipper butterflies.

Splitbeard Bluestem is a native grass that has refined but sturdy blue-green foliage that becomes multicolored with blues, purples and reds in fall. The spikelets have tips covered in bright white hairs that catch the sun and are prized for use in dried and fresh flower arrangements.  Grows best in full sun and moist, loamy well-drained soils.

The Andropogon genus is a host plant for the Common Wood-Nymph butterfly and various skipper butterflies.

MAINTENANCE NEEDS: Low Maintenance.  Prefers moist, fertile, loamy soils that do not dry out and is generally intolerant of dry soils. It should be noted that the moist soil preference for this species distinguishes it from most other species of Andropogon. Freely self-seeds in optimum growing conditions. Cut clumps to the ground in late winter to early spring before new shoots appear. Warning: highly flammable.

LANDSCAPE USES:  Accents or Mass Plantings, Borders, Naturalized Areas, Meadows,  Groundcover, and Containers.

COMPANION PLANTS: Milkweed, Tickseed, Black Eyed Susan

IMAGES: USGS, (3) Photo by Tom Potterfield, Andropogon ternarius (splitbeard bluestem)

*As plants have ranges in appearance they may not appear as the images shown.