Ontario Native
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
Flower colour
Purplish-bronze flower spikes
Bloom time
Late summer through fall
Height
12-36"
Light
Requires full sun. It is highly shade-intolerant; too much shade or overly rich soil causes its stiff stems to lose their structure and flop over.
Moisture
Average to dry soils
Native to Ontario
Yes
Ecological benefit
Larval host plant for several butterfly species. Its fuzzy, high-energy seed heads remain standing high above the snow line through the winter. This provides a vital winter food supply for native songbirds like juncos, finches, and various sparrows.
Notes
Beyond its ecological metrics, it is loved for its dramatic, shifting color palette. It emerges a striking steel-blue or silver-green in spring, and shifts into a breathtaking mosaic of copper, blazing orange, and burgundy-red after the autumn frosts arrive