Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)

Also Known As: Turkey foot
Plant Family: Grasses (Poaceae)

Identification Guide: *Print version
Phenophase Field Guide: *Print version

2009 Live Map - View

Did you Know? Big bluestem is sometimes referred to as an ‘ice-cream grass’ because livestock and wildlife will often eat this species before eating other kinds of grasses. It is valued by homeowners and landscapers who are seeking a drought tolerant grass to provide a native look in their backyards. Big bluestem is the official prairie grass of Illinois. Big bluestem can tolerate a wide range of moisture conditions, which allows it to extend into drier areas like the Great Plains. Its leaves roll up during periods of drought to conserve water.

Identification Hints: This is one of the largest grasses in the tall grass prairie. Stems can be solid or pithy with a bluish color at the base. It forms a clump with upright stems. The flowers are distinctive in having groups of flowers that branch out from the stem in 3 to 7 ‘fingers’ (digitate) and usually have short fine hairs. Spikelets attached on short stems only have male flowers. In the Great Plains and on dry sites in the northern Midwest, you can also find sand bluestem (Andropogon halllii) which has long straight hairs on the flowering stems and grayish foliage.

Phenological Observations of Interest: First Flower Stalk, First Pollen, End of Pollen, First Ripe Fruit, All Leaves Withered

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2009 Live Map for Big bluestem

Below you can view the latest 100 observations that have been reported in 2009 for Big bluestem (If the map below is empty then there have not been any 2009 observations reported.)

Use the navigation buttons on the left to zoom in/out and pan around. Click on each place marker to get detail information about that observation.

= First Flower Stalk
= First Pollen
= End of Pollen
= First Ripe Fruit
= All Leaves Withered

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