Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Fruit, Shrub
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
South America
Types
-
V. × heilbornii
Number of Varieties
40
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
meadows, Prairies, Riverbanks, Roadsides, Woods
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
2-79-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
7 - 1
11-9
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, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
38.10 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
152.40 cm150.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple
Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green, Light Yellow, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Blue Green, Burgundy, Bronze
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Tan, Sandy Brown
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Palmate
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
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Vegetative Reproduction
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
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
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 shoots
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
-
Allergy
-
-
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
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Digestive disorders
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Stem
Fruits
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Food for animals
Used in making champagne
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Cutflower, Dried Flower/Everlasting, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Wildflower
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
ANDROPOGON gerardii
VASCONCELLEA x heilbornii
Common Name
Big Bluestem, Turkey Foot
Babaco, Mountain Papaya
In Hindi
Big Bluestem grass
Babaco
In German
Große Bartgras
Babaco
In French
Barbon de Gérard herbe
Babaco
In Spanish
hierba andropogon grande
Babaco
In Greek
Big BLUESTEM γρασίδι
Babaco
In Portuguese
Vetiver grande grama
Babaco
In Polish
Big Bluestem trawa
Babaco
In Latin
Big bluestem herba
Babaco
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Lillosida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Poaceae
Brassicales
Family
Poaceae
Caricaceae
Genus
Andropogon
Vasconcellea
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
1501
1
27800
👆🏻