Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Grass
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
Southwestern United States
Types
-
Muhlenbergia rigens, Muhlenbergia emersleyi
Number of Varieties
45
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
meadows, Prairies, Riverbanks, Roadsides, Woods
Sandy areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
2-77-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
7 - 1
12 - 1
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
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
38.10 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
152.40 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Blue Green, Burgundy, Bronze
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Tan, Sandy Brown
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Long linear and narrow
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Medium
Requires watering in the growing season, Water occasionally
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
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
fertilize in spring
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
-
Drought, Heat Tolerance
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Birds, Deers, Insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Ground Cover, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beautification, Ground Cover, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for animals, Prevent Soil Erosion
Food for animals, Nesting sites for birds, Shelter for wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Sore throat
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Stem
Leaves, Root
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Food for animals
Can be made into a herbal tea, Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Cutflower, Dried Flower/Everlasting, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Wildflower
Feature Plant, Foundation, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Botanical Name
ANDROPOGON gerardii
MUHLENBERGIA rigens
Common Name
Big Bluestem, Turkey Foot
Deer Grass
In Hindi
Big Bluestem grass
हिरण घास
In German
Große Bartgras
Deer Grass
In French
Barbon de Gérard herbe
cerfs Herbe
In Spanish
hierba andropogon grande
Ciervo Hierba
In Greek
Big BLUESTEM γρασίδι
ελάφια Grass
In Portuguese
Vetiver grande grama
cervos grama
In Polish
Big Bluestem trawa
Deer Trawa
In Latin
Big bluestem herba
deer Grass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Anthophyta
Class
Lillosida
Liliopsida
Order
Poaceae
Poales
Family
Poaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Andropogon
Muhlenbergia
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
Chloridoideae
Number of Species
15040
1
27800
👆🏻