Little Bluestem
(Schizachyrium scoparium)
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Species Description
Description:
A quintessential American bunchgrass known more for its striking colors than its size. Little Bluestem is a "clump-forming" grass that transforms through the seasons, shifting from a cool blue-green in the summer to a fiery mahogany-red in the autumn, topped with delicate, silvery seed tufts.
Habitat in the ANF
In the Allegheny National Forest, Little Bluestem is a specialist of dry, thin soils. While its cousin, the Big Bluestem, dominates the deep-soil prairies, Little Bluestem is often found on rocky outcrops, steep sun-baked slopes, and sandy barrens. It is a common sight along the edges of the Allegheny Reservoir and in forest openings created by fire or thin, glade-like conditions where trees struggle to grow.
Ecology and the "Skipper" Sanctuary
Little Bluestem is a vital host plant for several species of Skipper butterflies. The caterpillars of the Dusted Skipper and the Ottoe Skipper rely exclusively on its foliage for food, tucking themselves into the base of the dense clumps for protection. Beyond insects, the "bunch" growth habit of the grass creates small, protected runways at ground level, which act as a safe highway system for field mice and ground-nesting birds to move through the forest openings without being spotted by hawks.
Identification
The "Bluestem" Base: Look at the base of the plant in late spring or summer. The stems are noticeably flattened and have a distinct purplish-blue tint at the joints (nodes).
The Seeds: In late summer, the plant produces fuzzy, white, wind-borne seeds that line the stems. When they catch the sunlight, the entire field appears to be covered in a silvery mist.
The Autumn Glow: After the first frost, the blue-green foliage turns a deep, wine-red or "little bluestem bronze." This color persists all winter, standing out vividly against the white snow.
Size: Unlike the towering Indiangrass, Little Bluestem is much more modest, typically standing 2 to 3 feet tall.
A quintessential American bunchgrass known more for its striking colors than its size. Little Bluestem is a "clump-forming" grass that transforms through the seasons, shifting from a cool blue-green in the summer to a fiery mahogany-red in the autumn, topped with delicate, silvery seed tufts.
Habitat in the ANF
In the Allegheny National Forest, Little Bluestem is a specialist of dry, thin soils. While its cousin, the Big Bluestem, dominates the deep-soil prairies, Little Bluestem is often found on rocky outcrops, steep sun-baked slopes, and sandy barrens. It is a common sight along the edges of the Allegheny Reservoir and in forest openings created by fire or thin, glade-like conditions where trees struggle to grow.
Ecology and the "Skipper" Sanctuary
Little Bluestem is a vital host plant for several species of Skipper butterflies. The caterpillars of the Dusted Skipper and the Ottoe Skipper rely exclusively on its foliage for food, tucking themselves into the base of the dense clumps for protection. Beyond insects, the "bunch" growth habit of the grass creates small, protected runways at ground level, which act as a safe highway system for field mice and ground-nesting birds to move through the forest openings without being spotted by hawks.
Identification
The "Bluestem" Base: Look at the base of the plant in late spring or summer. The stems are noticeably flattened and have a distinct purplish-blue tint at the joints (nodes).
The Seeds: In late summer, the plant produces fuzzy, white, wind-borne seeds that line the stems. When they catch the sunlight, the entire field appears to be covered in a silvery mist.
The Autumn Glow: After the first frost, the blue-green foliage turns a deep, wine-red or "little bluestem bronze." This color persists all winter, standing out vividly against the white snow.
Size: Unlike the towering Indiangrass, Little Bluestem is much more modest, typically standing 2 to 3 feet tall.