SCIENTIFIC NAME: Andropogon gerardii
COMMON NAMES: Big Bluestem, Tall Bluestem, Turkey-foot,
BLOOM TIME: June, July, Aug, Sep
PLANT PROFILE:
- One of the Big 4 native grassed that characterize tallgrass prairies.
- Warm season perennial bunchgrass.
- Can grow 3-8 ft. tall with 20 in. green-blue leaves.
- Usually grows 3 slender, gray-green to purple fingerlike spikes atop the stems.
- Spikes resemble a turkey foot, being a common name for this plant.
- Small yellow flowers hang from these spikes,
- replaced by grains in the fall.
- Very common in Illinois, tolerates most environments, but prefers sun.
- Can be aggressive in undisturbed locations but can hold up to the plow & cattle.
- Ranchers refer to it as "ice cream for cows" because they love it so much.
- Cannot survive concentrated grazing because it evolved with seasonal grazing of migrating bison.
- Used in restoring prairies, in erosion control, & as a tall background specimen in prairie landscaping.
- Has about 10,000 seeds per ounce of cleaned seed.
INSECT/ANIMAL INTERACTIONS:
- Provides shelter for nesting birds & insects.
- Used by Sedge Wrens and Eastern Meadowlarks.
- Provides seed for 24 species of songbird as well as prairie chickens.
- Specifically provides seed for Grasshopper Sparrow, Henslow’s Sparrow, and other sparrows.
- Attracts butterflies & is larval host for Delaware Skipper, Dusted Skipper.
- White-tailed deer & bison graze on vegetative parts.
- High quality forage for livestock.