This growing season, we are welcoming native grasses to center stage. Though they provide valuable habitat for insect life and nesting material for the birds in the spring, we have noticed how underutilized and undervalued they are in urban gardens. Let’s change that!
First, we’ll learn a little background on our featured plant; Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii). Then, we’ll dive into some insights on how Big Bluestem can perform in your own garden. In a rush? Skip the history lesson and go straight to the garden.
Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) is a beautiful grass native to North America. It has a rich history in our prairie ecosystems. It has been prized by many Indigenous tribes for its health benefits, its way of protecting the soil from strong winds, water erosion, and fires, and its usefulness in building structures. Many plant and animal species also depend on Big Bluestem. The Sedge Wren and Meadowlark use our featured grass for their nesting sites and the Delaware Skipper, the Dusted Skipper, and the Common Wood Nymph butterflies designate it the perfect spot to lay their larvae. Many pollinators feast on its pollen, not to mention the twenty-four species of songbirds that depend on its food and habitat resources. It is also a host plant for many insects (read about host plants here!).
Interestingly, this native grass is disturbance-adapted. It has evolved to withstand grazing and trampling patterns of migrating American bison, as well as controlled burns set by Indigenous folks. This would remove dead vegetation and keep everything in balance. It would then have the opportunity to recover. However, since this land was colonized, livestock has been grazing large swaths of Big Bluestem right down to the ground. This lack of seasonal range management has reduced the abundance of this prairie staple.
How does it perform in your garden? This “Prince of the Tallgrass Prairie” thrives in deep soils from the Gulf of Mexico all the way to Canada. It prefers full sun but can tolerate part shade. Like all native grasses, Big Bluestem plays a big part in its ecosystem. It is an excellent ground cover with a special ability to grow roots up to twelve feet underground (!!). Because of this, it can access minerals and water sources that many other plants cannot access.
Big Bluestem brings these vital nutrients up to the soil’s surface (just like when we suck water up through a straw), sharing them with their plant friends. This boosts their health and keeps their roots cool. Big Bluestem grows up to eight feet tall, which means that neighboring plants can rest in the shade it provides. This native grass creates a microclimate, protecting its little pocket of the landscape. That, my friends, is what we call a superpower.
In addition to its talents, Big Bluestem also provides lovely movement and play in the garden. It catches a slight breeze and sends a ripple of gaiety across the scene. We love some of these varieties’ darker colors, such as Blackhawks and Dancing Wind.
Identify this native perennial at a macro-view by its dense, clump-like growing pattern. Getting a closer look at the three finger-like spikes at the tips of its tall stems, it’s easy to see why it has been nicknamed “Turkey Foot.” We adore plants that provide full-season interest in the garden, and ol’ Turkey Foot does not disappoint! In springtime, its foliage is a grayish- or bluish-green. When summer rolls around, it is mostly green with blushes of red. As autumn approaches, it turns russet with a hint of purple.
Big Bluestems’ flowering season in Southeast Michigan is from about July to August. Rather than an actual bloom, a delicate line of seed heads appears on each finger-like spike. This display of red tassels is a simpler blooming than most ornamental grasses, making more of a visual statement than a mass of seed heads. Less is more! Additionally, Big Bluestem is deer and rabbit resistant, so they will happily deter grazers in your neighborhood.
In your own garden, Turkey Foot can spread its own magic. As winter comes around, take the old fashioned route and leave your native grasses up. Choosing not to cut them down means that you’ll have structure in an otherwise bland winter landscape. The snow and frost will cluster on the seedheads and create a charming visual element. Leaving them uncut will also provide habitat for tiny creatures who are trying to get through the cold days and nights.
We are encouraging our community to move away from choosing plant material purely for its aesthetic, and instead moving towards making choices based on how the plants fit in with our ecosystem. It’s easy to make choices for our gardens that look amazing and provide ecological value. With this in mind, we have developed an ecological scoring system. Our “summer flower feature” has earned a 15 out of 15! Cue the applause.
We hope you have enjoyed this introduction to a potential new garden friend.
Until next thyme,
My Thyme Gardens