• Purple Prairie Winds® 'Blue Steel' grass with slender stems and dark purple-brown seed heads, photographed outdoors against a blurred green garden background. - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.
  • Purple-tonedPrairie Winds® 'Blue Steel' grass with fine, wispy seed heads and narrow blue-green leaves, photographed outdoors against a blurred green foliage background. - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.
  • A tall Prairie Winds® 'Blue Steel' grass plant with narrow silvery-blue leaves and dark purple-brown seed heads, growing in a mulched garden bed with grass and shrubs in the background. - Photo Courtesy of Walters Gardens, Inc.
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Prairie Winds® 'Blue Steel' Big Bluestem (Andropogon)

PERENNIAL - Proven Winners®
  • Dense Blue Foliage,
  • Late Summer Flower Spikes,
  • Native
    • $19.99
      $19.99
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      Description

      (Big Bluestem) Cool-toned foliage sets Andropogon PRAIRIE WINDS® 'Blue Steel' apart from many other ornamental grasses. Steel-blue leaves form a dense, upright clump with attractive purple highlights. The blue and purple coloring becomes more intense as the season progresses. Smoky purple flower spikes rise above the foliage in fall, adding texture and movement.

      Reaching 54 inches tall and about 30 inches wide, this grass creates a strong vertical presence. Its upright habit also holds its structure into winter. Andropogon PRAIRIE WINDS® 'Blue Steel' thrives in full sun and adapts to challenging growing conditions. It tolerates heavy clay and performs well in average or poor soil with good drainage.

      Hardy in zones 3-9, Big Bluestem has deep roots in the North American tallgrass prairie. This native perennial grass handles heat and becomes drought tolerant once established. Deer and rabbits generally avoid it, making it useful where browsing pressure creates problems.

      Low-maintenance growth makes this grass well suited for landscapes, borders, meadows, naturalized areas, and prairie restorations. Its extensive root system also makes Big Bluestem useful for erosion control. Birds and small mammals can use the foliage for nesting material. Avoid overwatering established plants, and leave the upright stems standing through winter. Cut the old growth back in late winter before fresh spring foliage emerges. Andropogon PRAIRIE WINDS® 'Blue Steel' is a Proven Winners® Perennial.

      More Details

      Botanical Name: Andropogon hybrid 'Blue Steel' PP37,393 PRAIRIE WINDS®
      Common Name: Big Bluestem
      Sunlight: Full Sun (+6 hrs.)
      Critter Resistance: Deer, Rabbit
      Bloom Time: Late Summer, Fall
      Flower Color: Blue Shades, Purple Shades
      Water Requirements: Low Water Needs, Average Water Needs, High Water Needs
      USDA Hardiness Zone: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
      Attributes: Cut Flower or Foliage, Dried Flower, Drought Tolerant, Easy to Grow, Native
      Design Use: Border, Massing, Specimen
      Container Design: Thriller
      Garden Style: Asian, Cottage, Eclectic, Formal, Modern
      Soil Quality: Average, Poor
      Blooms On: This Year's Growth
      Growth Habit: Upright
      Growth Rate: Average
      Foliage Color: Blue Shades, Purple Shades

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