Big Bluestem is a tall, colorful warm-season native grass that once dominated the Midwest prairies. The upright clumps of flattened foliage emerge grey to blue-green and mature to green with red hues before turning reddish-bronze with lavender tones after frost. Flowering stalks extend above to foliage in late summer bearing 3-parted, finger-like purplish flower clusters . Grows best in full sun and well-drained soils. Excellent drought tolerant once established. Andropogon gerardii is a host for the Common Wood-Nymph butterfly and various Skipper butterflies. Type: Orn. Grass Origins: North America, GA Native Height: 4' - 6' Spread: 2 - 3' Spacing: 2.5' USDA Hardiness Zone: 5 - 8 Culture: Full Sun Bloom Color: Purple Season of Interest: Fall , 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 , Rock Gardens , and containers. COMPANION PLANTS: Milkweed , Tickseed , Black-Eyed Susan IMAGES: T.Voekler , Andropogon gerardii shrub , CC BY-SA 3.0 , (2) Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, Andropogon gerardii (21092730152) , CC BY-SA 2.0 , (3) cassi saari , Tallgrass prairie flora Andropogon gerardii , CC BY-SA 4.0 ,(4) Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, Andropogon gerardii (3904160434) , CC BY-SA 2.0 *As plants have ranges in appearance they may not appear as the images shown.