Amsonia tabernaemontana #1 (Eastern Blue Star)
August 25, 2020
Andropogon gerardii #2 (Big Bluestem)
August 25, 2020
Andropogon gerardii ‘Blackhawks’ #2 (Big Bluestem)
$18.99
-Full Sun
-Dry to Average Soil (FAC)
-Slightly Acidic to Alkaline pH
-4-5′ Tall by 2′ Wide
-Clumping growth habit
-Deer, Clay, Drought tolerant
-Moderately Salt tolerant
-Zone 4
-Fall Color
-Cultivar of Ohio Native
Out of stock
‘Blackhawks’ Big Bluestem is a landscape-friendly cultivar of one of the “Big Four” tallgrass prairie species. It has dark purple foliage which deepens as the season matures. It is smaller in stature than the straight species Andropogon gerardii, only reaching a flowering height of about 5′. It is a warm-season grass, which means it will not put on strong growth until later in the season, making it a good compliment to cool-season grasses and forbs that flower in spring and early summer. This species and its cultivars thrive on neglect in full sun locations with infertile soils and a tendency to be dry. If given too much moisture, fertilizer or shade, it will not support its own height and will flop over.
‘Blackhawks’ has a tightly clumping growth habit and an extensive fibrous root system. This leads to its strong drought tolerance and value as an effective control for erosion. The striking foliage color pairs well with prairie wildflowers and other grasses, and it can be used effectively as screening or a specimen in smaller gardens.
Sources:
Missouri Botanical Garden
NorthCreek Nurseries
National Park Service
Photo Credit:
Mature: cultivar413 from Fallbrook, California, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
