Name for a dynamic duo? Super hero's? Cartoon characters, or Indian tribe names? Nope. Super prairie grasses. Schizachyrium scoparium-Little Bluestem and Andropogon geradii-Big Bluestem or Turkeyfoot.
Schizachyrium scoparium 'the Blues' - Little Bluestem
Last year the Kansas legislature named Little Blue the state grass. During this time the Native Plant Society of Kansas, which was instrumental in achieving this goal, provided funds for educational material to be used for speakers and also for schools. The school materials are being used to inform children of the importance of these prairie grassed in the ecosystem and history of Kansas.
Andropogon geradii Vitam - Big Bluestem, Turkeyfoot
Turkey foot got its nickname from the native Americans. Most people know it as Big Bluestem. This particular plant is well over 7' tall and was rescued from a vacant industrial lot. It is located on my corner hell strip. Right plant in wrong plant, so after this image was taken I cut it down to three foot along with everything else in the bed. There will be movement this winter. This grass populates a large part of the Kansas Flint Hills and is outstanding forage for grazing cattle as well as seed for wildlife.
The shape of the seedheads resembles a turkey foot.
As you can see the seed heads even dwarfed the Calamagrostis seedheads.
Or they did in this photo.
Little Blue and Purple Leaf Coneflower
I love the Little Bluestem- we grow that one- love it. Always have but I am a sucker for the blue/gray plants anyway.... I have not heard of the Turkeyfoot but LOVE IT! I must go ask Michael about that one!!!! Great photos- you captured the grasses well.
ReplyDeleteLittle blue has such a great color doesn't it.
DeleteNice Little Bluestem. You'll have to post again when that stuff turns red as heck in the fall.
ReplyDeleteIndeed . I assume your prairie is outstanding this year, along with your roses?
DeleteSome of my favorite grasses. They don't like me so much anymore, but I still like them.
ReplyDeleteI love those coneflowers, Greg. Hope my seeds germinate this year :)
ReplyDeleteI think it is great that school children are being educated about their local flora and fauna! Nice to hear. I love grasses and have been adding more to my garden but making sure they are always native because they do tend to spread their seeds!
ReplyDeleteThey are two of the most beautiful grasses, for sure, Greg! I'm sorry you had to cut the Andropogon back...hopefully you'll find a better spot for it. I struggled for years to find varieties of these that didn't flop here in Portland. Last year, I finally found a Bluestem that didn't flop (Blue Heaven) and this year, am trying two new varieties of Andropogon that supposedly shouldn't flop (Red October and Indian Warrior). Of course, I don't remember now which is which...but so far they are both pretty upright...much more so than the other varieties I've tried :-)
ReplyDeleteI would be very interested in Red October and Indian Warrior as well as Blue Heaven of course.
DeleteI hadn't realized how blue 'The Blues' really was! I think I need to find a couple plants of that variety and add them in somewhere. It looks so good with the purple coneflower too.
ReplyDeleteI've hesitated to add big blue into my flower beds simply because of its height. It is absolutely one of my favorite grasses, but that height's a problem close in. I "discovered" Junegrass this year and am looking forward to putting some more of that in my flowerbeds, too. Sand lovegrass is wonderful for me...but reseeds pretty freely - it looks like a dainty switchgrass. I just have to get better about keeping extra seedlings under control.
Wow, I especially enjoyed that last shot! What a good way to show the rainbow beauty of the grass. I need to add more ornamental grasses to my garden.
ReplyDeleteYes the color is special, lets just hope they don't flop.
DeleteYour hellstrip looks great.
ReplyDeleteWow. Outstanding photos. I love the grasses. I had Little Bluestem but let it dry out and get smothered by other plants. I need to find find it again and take better care of it. It is such a beauty. Great post.
ReplyDeleteYour hellstrip looks great and would make any Buffalo gardener jealous. I bet they have more than anywhere too. Little Bluestem is a great plant, glad to see it get some recognition in Kansas.
ReplyDeleteGreat shots and they look super in your garden. I miss Little Blue Stem since we had it in our hay meadow when I was a child. You've inspired me to find a sprig and get it going in my cottage garden soon. There's nothing else like it. Great choice for Kansas. Well done.
ReplyDeleteDavid/:0)
I love them both, Greggo! I seem to have a harder time finding Big bluestem down here, his little brother is everywhere.
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