Red October Bluestem is a narrow upright clump-forming native grass grown for its attractive foliage that start deep green with red highlights in spring, deepens to burgundy in fall, then after the first frost turns candy-apple-red mixed with scarlet. Even the turkey-foot shaped seed heads of Red October Big Bluestem are shades of red. Grows best in full sun and well-drained soils. Drought tolerant. Type: Orn. Grass Origins: North America, GA Native Height: 4 - 6' Spread: 2 - 3' Spacing: None USDA Hardiness Zone: 5 - 8 Culture: Full Sun Bloom Color: Red Season of Interest: Year-Round MAINTENANCE NEEDS: Low maintenance. Cut stems to the ground in late winter before new shoots appear. LANDSCAPE USES: Accents or Group Plantings, Borders , Woodland Gardens , Wildlife Gardens , Naturalized Areas , Native Gardens , Foundation Plantings, and Containers. COMPANION PLANTS: Milkweed , Tickseed , Black Eyed Susan IMAGES: Photos by Matt Lavin , (1) Andropogon gerardii - big , (2) Andropogon gerardii - big bluestem , (3) Photo by Tom Potterfield , Andropogon gerardii (big bluestem) *As plants have ranges in appearance they may not appear as the images shown.