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Native Plant Society of Texas

Big Bluestem

Andropogon gerardii

Other common name(s):

Tall Bluestem, Turkeyfoot

Family:

Poaceae (Grass Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Central Great Plains, Chihuahuan Deserts, Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, High Plains, Southwestern Tablelands, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Broken Red Plains, Red Prairie
Chihuahuan Desert Grasslands, Chihuahuan Montane Woodlands, Low Mountains and Bajadas
Limestone Cut Plain
Bastrop Lost Pines, Floodplains and Low Terraces2, Northern Prairie Outliers, San Antonio Prairie, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Balcones Canyonlands
Coastal Sand Plain, Floodplains and Low Terraces4, Laguna Madre Barrier Island and Coastal Marshes, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Mid-Coast Barrier Islands and Coastal Marshes, Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Southern Subhumid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Texas-Louisiana Coastal Marshes
Arid Llano Estacado, Canadian/Cimarron High Plains, Llano Estacado, Rolling Sand Plains, Shinnery Sands
Canadian/Cimarron Breaks, Caprock Canyons Badlands Breaks, Flat Tablelands and Valleys, Semiarid Canadian Breaks
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie
Flatwoods, Floodplains and Low Terraces3, Pleistocene Fluvial Terraces, Red River Bottomlands, Southern Tertiary Uplands, Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Grass & Sedge

Height

3
to
6
ft.

Spread

1
to
2
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Sand, Loam, Clay, Calcareous, Moist

Light Requirement

Sun, Part Shade

Water Requirement

Low

Native Habitat

Grassland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Brown

Bloom Season

Fall

Seasonal Interest

Seeds, Forage, Larval Host, Nesting Material

Wildlife Benefit

Browsers, Birds, Bees

Maintenance

Needs more moisture to look its best, but is quite drought tolerant once established because of its deep roots. If used in a garden, too much water, shade, or fertilizer can cause it to get top-heavy and fall over. One of the “big four” grasses of the American Tallgrass Prairie. Fall color is maroonish-tan. Spreads easily so give lots of room. Leave dead stems standing through fall and winter for insect habitat. Cut back dead stems in February before spring growth. Native habitat: low meadows and prairies.

Description

Blooms August-November. A warm-season, bunchgrass with tall blue-green stems. The characteristic seed head is usually branched into three parts and resembles a turkey’s foot. Larval host: Orange-headed Roadside Skipper, Arogos Skipper, Cobweb Skipper, Delaware Skipper.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Andropogon chrysocomus, Andropogon furcatus, Andropogon gerardii var. chrysocomus, Andropogon provincialis

References

1) Griffith, Bryce, Omernick & Rodgers (2007). Ecoregions of Texas, 2) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ANGE, 3) https://portal.torcherbaria.org/portal/taxa/index.php?taxon=Andropogon+gerardii&formsubmit=Search+Terms, 4) http://bonap.net/TDC/Image/Map?taxonType=Species&taxonId=17687&locationType=County&mapType=Normal, 5) Wasowski and Wasowski, Native Texas Plants Landscaping Region by Region, 1991, pg. 126, 6) https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=40462#null, 7) Hatch, Umphres, Ardoin, 2015, Field Guide to Common Texas Grasses, pg 50, 8) https://seedsource.com/big-bluestem/ 9) Weber, Jim; Weber, Lynne; Wauer, Roland H. Native Host Plants For Texas Butterflies. Texas A&M University Press. 2018 Weber, Jim; Weber, Lynne. Native Host Plants For Texas Moths. Texas A&M University Press. 2022

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Clump Division Divide during winter dormancy. Dig up divisions from the outside of the clump and transplant them to a new location. Replant the sections at the same depth as the original plant. Keep any newly transplanted grasses consistently moist until they have re-established. Depending on how mature the grass is, the cluster of rhizomes can be very difficult to separate and you may need to use a saw or sharp spade to divide them. 1) https://www.growveg.com/plants/us-and-canada/how-to-grow-big-bluestem/#:~:text=Sow%20and%20Plant,and%20harvest%20for%20your%20area. 2) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ANGE 3) https://www.thespruce.com/big-bluestem-plant-profile-4845878#:~:text=Propagating%20Big%20Bluestem,Potting%20and%20Repotting%20Big%20Bluestem
Seed Stratification Dry stratification as well as cold-moist stratification are recommended for one month to break dormancy. Seeds can be started indoors or sown directly in the garden in late winter or early spring. Sow the seeds at 1/4- to 1/2-inch deep. Keep the seeds consistently moist until they sprout. Be patient, as big bluestem seeds can take up to four weeks to germinate. Big bluestem readily produces seeds every year, which can be harvested and planted the following spring. Alternatively, big bluestem seeds can be bought from most garden centers and specialty nurseries. 1) https://www.thespruce.com/big-bluestem-plant-profile-4845878#:~:text=Propagating%20Big%20Bluestem,Potting%20and%20Repotting%20Big%20Bluestem 2) https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ANGE
Seed No Treatment Plant in fall or spring, barely covering the seeds with Young plants need water their first year, but after that big bluestem becomes very drought tolerant. Big bluestem is a bit slow to establish, but should form a vigorous clump by its third year. soil. https://www.growveg.com/plants/us-and-canada/how-to-grow-big-bluestem/#:~:text=Sow%20and%20Plant,and%20harvest%20for%20your%20area.

About the Region

2026 Fall Symposium Logo

This low-elevations region of Texas extends inland from the barrier islands, about 60 or so miles, and stretches from Brownsville to Louisiana. In total, it covers about 9.5 million acres, with a high point of 150 feet in elevation. More than 1000 species of plants can be found in this region. On the southern end, species more common in Mexico (such as Sabal mexicana) and Central America occur.

The barrier islands provide us with dune systems, and clay flats to the inland side, which have species found in these areas alone. Many plants here, such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (beach morning glory), can be found throughout tropical regions of the globe. I’ve encountered the same species on the beaches of Guam.

Once inland, vast marshes and wet prairies occur. Occasionally, oak (Quercus fusiformis) groves can be found. Common grasses include species of Bothriochloa, Paspalum, and Sporobolus; eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides); and switchgrass (Panicum species). Many rivers and creeks cut through the Gulf Prairies, and along these riparian areas various species of trees, Sabal minor, and other plants adapted to clay soils can be found. Due to overgrazing, farming, and fire suppression, woody species such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and invasive species such as chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) have increased and displaced our native flora.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason