Andropogon gerardii -- (Big Bluestem)


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This tall, drought tolerant, native grass grows in large clumps with extensive root systems that expand slowly. The foliage stays attractive through winter. Big bluestem was the most abundant and tallest grass in the vast Great Plains prairies that once covered much of central North America. This is an adaptable, carefree grass that is well suited for naturalizing in a meadow or prairie garden. 
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 Scientific Name:  Andropogon gerardii
 Common Name:  Big Bluestem
 Duration of Life:  Perennial
 Bloom Color:  Yellow
 Soil Moisture:  Dry, Mesic, Wet
 Sun Requirements:  Full, Partial
 Plant Origin:  Native
 Drought Tolerance:  High
 Flower Conspicuous:  No
 Soil Fertility Requirement:  Low
 Moisture Use:  Low
 Shade Tolerance:  Intolerant
 Growing Zone:  3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
 Active Growth Period:  Summer
 Anaerobic Tolerance:  Medium
 Calcium Carbonate Tolerance:  High
 Bloom Period:  Summer
 Commercial Availability:  Routinely Available
 Competitivness:  Aggressive
 Cold Stratification Required:  No
 Best established via:  Seed, Plant
 Fall Conspicuous:  No
 Frost Free Days, Minimum:  155
 Foliage Color:  Green
 Fruit/Seed Abundance:  Medium
 Fruit/Seed Period Begin:  Summer
 Fruit/Seed Conspicuous:  No
 Fruit/Seed Period End:  Fall
 Fruit/Seed Color:  Brown
 Fruit/Seed Persistence:  No
 Fire Tolerance:  High
 Foliage Texture:  Medium
 Growth Form:  Bunch
 Growth Habit:  Grass
 Growth Rate:  Moderate
 Height, Mature (feet):  6
 Leaf Retention:  No
 Low Growing Grass:  No
 Life Span:  Long
 pH (Maximum):  7.5
 pH (Minimum):  6
 Precipitation (Minimum):  12
 Protein Potential:  Medium
 Plant Spacing:  18 to 36 inches
 Resprout Ability:  No
 Root Depth, Min. (inches):  20
 Salt Tolerance:  Medium
 Shape and Orientation:  Erect
 Flowering Months:  August, September
 Small Grain:  No
 Seed Spread Rate:  Slow
 Seedling Vigor:  Low
 Temperature, Minimum (F):  -46
 Toxicity:  None
 Vegetative Spread Rate:  Slow
 Found in Old fields:  Yes
 Found in Virgin fields:  No
 Propagation:  Seed
 Palpable: (eatable)

 Uses:  Fodder
 Where Found in S.E. MN:

 Pronounciation:  (an-dro-PO-gon je-RAR-de)
 Category:  Monocot
 Division:  Magnoliophyta
 Class:  Liliopsida
 Order:  Cyperales
 Family:  Poaceae
 Genus:  Andropogon

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