By Blake Jackson
As fall arrives, many gardens begin transitioning from summer blooms to plants that provide color, texture, and interest later in the season.
According to Bruce Spangenberg, Horticulture Outreach Specialist with the UW-Madison Division of Extension, native warm-season ornamental grasses are among the standout performers in autumn landscapes. Two of the most popular choices for Wisconsin gardeners are little bluestem and big bluestem.
Although both grasses share the bluestem name and originate from Midwestern prairies, they are distinct species with different growth habits.
Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) typically grows two to four feet tall, including its flower stalks, while big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) can reach heights of four to eight feet. Both species are winter-hardy to USDA Zone 3, making them suitable throughout Wisconsin.
As warm-season grasses, they grow most actively during the heat of summer and reach their peak ornamental value in late summer and fall. Their flowers mature into attractive seedheads that remain through winter, providing visual appeal as well as food and shelter for birds, small mammals, and other wildlife. Both grasses also help stabilize soil through their spreading root systems.
Little bluestem features upright clumps of blue-green foliage that transform into shades of red, orange, and purple during autumn. Its silvery flower stalks add movement and texture to the landscape. It performs best in full sun and well-drained, moderately dry soils and works especially well in mass plantings or mixed perennial borders.
Big bluestem is known for its distinctive “turkey-foot” flower clusters that emerge in late summer and persist into winter. The foliage shifts from blue-green to reddish tones in fall, creating a dramatic seasonal display. Because of its height, it is often used as a background planting or natural screen.
One popular cultivar, ‘Blackhawks’, develops dark purple to nearly black foliage in autumn. The variety was named the Perennial Plant of the Year® for 2026 by the Perennial Plant Association, highlighting its ornamental appeal and strong landscape performance.
Both little bluestem and big bluestem offer gardeners an attractive, low-maintenance way to add seasonal beauty, wildlife habitat, and year-round interest to the landscape.
Photo Credit: university-of-wisconsin-madison
Categories: Wisconsin, General