Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash var. scoparium

Common Little Bluestem; Little False Bluestem

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Common Little Bluestem is a native herbaceous perennial in the Grass family (Poaceae). It can be found throughout Alabama. Common Little Bluestem occurs in prairies, in pastures, in open pine forests, and in woodland openings. It is a perennial with a fibrous root system. Plants are usually cespitose, forming distinct clumps. Stems are 2-4 feet in height. Leaves are linear and usually glabrous. The leaf sheath is glabrous and keeled. Flowers are produced in pairs of spikelets arranged in a raceme. The spikelets are pubescent with long hairs. One spikelet of the pair is sessile, the other pedicellate. Sessile spikelets have 2 florets and the glumes exceed the florets in length. The upper floret is fertile and has 3 anthers. The lower floret is sterile and often consists of just a lemma. The lemmas have long twisted awns. The pedicellate spikelets lack a lemma. Pedicellate spikelets have one floret that is ether sterile or staminant. Pedicellate spikelets lack awns or have very short, straight awns. Common Little Bluestem occurs in a wide variety of habitats and can be extremely variable. It was once a major component of prairie grasslands and of the Longleaf Pine/Wiregrass community. Common Little Bluestem is often available from nurseries. A wide range of blue, green, and purple colored foliage selections are available. It is also available as seed and is recommended for a “filler” in wildflower meadows and prairie restoration projects. Common Little Bluestem tolerates a wide variety of soil and moisture types, but does require full sun. Plants should be cut back to near ground level or burned in the late winter to remove old foliage and promote vigorous new growth.—A. Diamond

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Native

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