Blue Heaven® Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium)
Perennial
- Unique, almost iridescent foliage with a mix of blue, green, and purple hues.
- Has a tall, columnar shape and appealing habit.
- Native species that supports pollinators and provides food, shelter, and nesting material for birds!
- Zones 3-9, Sun, 54” tall and 40”’ wide at maturity.
ZONE
EXPOSURE
HEIGHT
Description
With an attractive fall display, Blue Heaven® little bluestem will sweep you off your feet with its purple, blue, red, pink, burgundy, and orange hues. A popular choice for adding a dynamic and visual appeal to any garden, this little bluestem works well as a backdrop or screen in the landscape. Also valued by wildlife, its seeds are popular among songbirds in the winter. Other uses include mass plantings, borders, and naturalistic landscapes.
Details
Common name: Little Bluestem, Ornamental Grass
Zone: 3-9
Sun exposure: Sun (> 6 hours sun)
Height x width: 54” X 40”’
Flower color: Purple and tan shades
Foliage color: Blue shades
Season of Interest: Late Summer, fall
Bloom time: Late summer, early fall
Features: Best for beginners, deer-resistant, erosion control, drought tolerant, fall color, salt tolerant, heat tolerant
Uses: Border, naturalizing, rock garden, pollinator garden, foundation planting, massing,rain garden, accent
How to Grow
Light: Performs best in full sun (> 6 hours sun).
Water: Has average water needs and once established will tolerate some drought
Spacing: 2 ft apart
Fertilizing: None required.
Winterizing: No specific care is needed.
Maintenance & pruning: We recommend cutting this grass back to ground level in early winter in order to have a sturdier plant the coming year.
Plant spacing is based on the ultimate width of the plants. This figure is normally given as a range; for example, 3-5’. If you live in a cold climate and/or want plants to fill in more quickly, plan to space at the shorter end of the range. If you live in a warm climate, are on a limited budget, or are willing to wait longer for plants to touch, use the higher end of the range. Using the larger number is recommended when calculating distance from a building or structure. There’s really no such thing as "maximum spacing": if you don’t want your plants to touch, you can space them as far apart as you’d like. All plant spacing is calculated on center, or in other words, the centers of the plants are spaced one half of their eventual width apart:
Unless you are planting in a straight line, as you might for hedges or edging, space your plants in a staggered or zig-zag pattern for a more interesting and naturalistic look:
Not sure just how many plants will fit in your garden? Our calculator gives you the exact amount of plants required for your space. Simply update the values and the calculator will re-calculate accordingly. Spacing information can be found in the 'How to Grow' tab on each plant's page.