Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Broadleaf Evergreen, Vines
Origin
North America, United States, Canada
India, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Southern Asia
Types
Schizachyrium scoparium
Red pepper, Orange pepper
Number of Varieties
307
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside, Prairies, Roadsides
Moist Soils, orchards, Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
2-78-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
7 - 1
12 - 1
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Lemon yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Red, Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Blue Green, Gray Green
Light Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Red, Bronze, Orange Red
Light Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Tan, Bronze
Light Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Circular cordate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Divison, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season
Do Not over Water, Sprinkle water over foliage, Water every two or three days during warmer months
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Ample Water
Moderate
In Winter
Ample Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
No pruning needed in the early stages, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
A hard prune may be necessary if the plant becomes woody, Remove dead branches, Trim each shoot back to the first set of leaves
Fertilizers
No fertilizers needed
10-10-10 diluted liquid fertilizer, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Do not let fertilizers touch the leaves
Pests and Diseases
fungus, Leaf spot
Aphids, Beetles, Root rot, Rust, Scab
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction
Flowers
Insignificant
-
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
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees
Aphids, Leafminer, Snails, Squirrels
Allergy
-
Oral Allergy
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Decorating walls
Beauty Benefits
-
Acne, Blackheads
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Erosion control, Wildlife
Fixes Nitrogen, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Acid Reflux, Dysentry, Healthy teeth, Inflammation, Oral health
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Dried seeds
Other Uses
-
Culinary use, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Used in herbal medicines
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Dried Flower / Everlasting, Cutflower, Dried Flower/Everlasting, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Container, Feature Plant, Hedges, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
SCHIZACHYRIUM scoparium
Piper nigrum
Common Name
Little Bluestem
Peppercorn, Piper, Black pepper
In Hindi
little bluestem
काली मिर्च
In German
wenig bluestem
Pfeffer
In French
barbon
Piper nigrum
In Spanish
Poco bluestem
Poivrier noir
In Greek
Μικρή bluestem
μαύρο πιπέρι
In Portuguese
pouco bluestem
Pimenta-preta
In Polish
trochę bluestem
Pieprz czarny
In Latin
parum bluestem
nigrum piperis
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Piperales
Family
Poaceae
Piperaceae
Genus
Schizachyrium
Piper
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Andropogoneae
-
Subfamily
Panicoideae
-
Number of Species
101100
1
27800
👆🏻