Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Tender Perennial
Origin
North America, United States, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Southwestern United States, Texas, Canada, Mexico
Southern Africa
Types
-
Perennial
Number of Varieties
450
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
meadows, Prairies, Riverbanks, Roadsides, Woods
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
2-78-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
7 - 1
10-8
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
38.10 cm61.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
152.40 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Blue Green, Burgundy, Bronze
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Tan, Sandy Brown
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Medium
Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Nematodes, Scale
Plant Tolerance
-
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Ground Cover, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for animals, Prevent Soil Erosion
Ethnobotanic
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Stem
Root
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Food for animals
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Cutflower, Dried Flower/Everlasting, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Wildflower
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
ANDROPOGON gerardii
DIETES bicolor
Common Name
Big Bluestem, Turkey Foot
African iris, Fortnight lily
In Hindi
Big Bluestem grass
African Iris
In German
Große Bartgras
Afrikanische Iris
In French
Barbon de Gérard herbe
African Iris
In Spanish
hierba andropogon grande
Iris africano
In Greek
Big BLUESTEM γρασίδι
Αφρικανική Iris
In Portuguese
Vetiver grande grama
Iris africano
In Polish
Big Bluestem trawa
Afryki Iris
In Latin
Big bluestem herba
African Iris
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Lillosida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Poaceae
Asparagales
Family
Poaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Andropogon
Dietes
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Irideae
Subfamily
-
Iridoideae
Number of Species
150300
1
27800
👆🏻