Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Flowering Plants
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, California
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
440
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
meadows, Prairies, Riverbanks, Roadsides, Woods
Dry areas, meadows
USDA Hardiness Zone
2-74-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
7 - 1
9-1
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
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
38.10 cm61.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
152.40 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple
Crimson
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Blue Green, Burgundy, Bronze
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Tan, Sandy Brown
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Oblong
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
-
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Medium
Do Not over Water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
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
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 10-10-10 amount
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Insects
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
Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
Asthma
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
-
Burns, Snakebite, Stomach aliments
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Stem
Whole plant
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Food for animals
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Cutflower, Dried Flower/Everlasting, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Wildflower
Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
ANDROPOGON gerardii
PENSTEMON eatonii
Common Name
Big Bluestem, Turkey Foot
Firecracker Penstemon
In Hindi
Big Bluestem grass
Firecracker penstemon
In German
Große Bartgras
Kracher penstemon
In French
Barbon de Gérard herbe
Firecracker penstemon
In Spanish
hierba andropogon grande
Penstemon del petardo
In Greek
Big BLUESTEM γρασίδι
πυροτέχνημα penstemon
In Portuguese
Vetiver grande grama
Penstemon do foguete
In Polish
Big Bluestem trawa
petarda penstemon
In Latin
Big bluestem herba
Firecracker Persicaria
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Lillosida
-
Order
Poaceae
Lamiales
Family
Poaceae
Scrophulariaceae
Genus
Andropogon
Penstemon
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
150250
1
27800
👆🏻