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Description

Little Bluestem is a native, warm season perennial bunchgrass that grows 3-6’ in height at maturity. It is widely distributed across the United States and grows on most all soil types. Leaves are bluish-green to lime-green in spring through late summer, then become leathery-brown to orange red at maturity. Seeds are small and fuzzy with twisted awns. Little bluestem produces one seed crop per year in late September-November. It is a fair to good forage for livestock depending on the season, soils, and location. It considered an important wildlife cover plant, especially as nesting habitat for quail and turkeys, and as fawning cover for deer. Little Bluestem is an important component of range and wildlife habitat restoration seed mixes, CRP planting mixes, and it is commonly included in right-of-way seed blends used on roadsides and pipelines throughout Texas.

A number of seed varieties of Little Bluestem are planted in Texas. These include OK Select adapted to Central Texas, Carrizo Blend adapted to Southern Texas, and Cimarron which is used in the Central Texas, the Texas Panhandle and North Texas. Little Bluestem is one of the “big 4” native grasses of the Tallgrass Prairie Ecosystem, and it is an important restoration species for most areas of Texas and adjacent states.

For more information:

Carrizo Little Bluestem Brochure from USDA NRCS

OK Select Little Bluestem Brochure from USDA NRCS

Cimarron Little Bluestem Brochure from USDA NRCS