Bushy bluestem is a tufting, sturdy, warm-season grass in the Poaceae family native to much of the eastern United States and the south-central and western United States. It can be found growing in swamps, wet savannas, pine flatwoods, bogs, fens, depression ponds, interdune swales, ponds and wet disturbed sites. The genus name comes from the Greek, referring to the hairs on the spikelets of some species in the genus. Specific epithet means clustered in reference to its bushy and broom-like inflorescences. This grass may grow 2 to 6 feet tall and spread 2 to 3 feet wide. It prefers full sun in moist to wet sites and is not drought-tolerant. It readily reseeds itself and can also be divided as needed to propagate. Tolerates occassional flooding and salt. The showy clusters of bushy, beard-like, silvery pink flowers appear in the fall and become a coppery orange after a frost. The foliage is blue-green with red tints and turns copper to orange after a frost that lasts into winter. Use bushy bluestem along bogs, ponds or other wet areas, allowing room for them to spread. They are host plants for some moths and butterflies and provide seed for birds and small mammals. Fire Risk: This plant has a high flammability rating and should not be planted within the defensible space of your home. Select plants with a low flammability rating for the sites nearest your home. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Native Plant; Ornamental Grasses and Sedges; Perennial
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter; Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Moist | Occasional Flooding | Occasionally Wet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 3 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in. | Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Erect
Leaf color
Green; Red/Burgundy
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Linear
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf value
Long-lasting; Showy
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
This plant has 3/8 in. wide green leaves in summer which turns copper-orange in fall and retains color well into winter. Foliage has a reddish tint.
Fall color
Gold/Yellow; Orange
Flower color
Gray/Silver; Pink; White
Flower value
Good Cut; Good Dried
Flower form
Panicle
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
This plant has interesting silvery-pink beard-like flowers that bloom from September to October. The inflorescence has densely clustered, bushy bracts at top of stems. The inflorescence is good in cut or dried arrangements.
Bloom time
Fall; Winter
Fruit color
Brown/Copper; Orange
Fruit value
Showy
Fruit detail
Paired spiklets form a feathery, club-shaped inflorescence, commonly called a flower/seed panicle. Fruit displays from October to November.
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Green; Orange
Stem detail
Fruit stalks start silvery green and transition to an orangy brown.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Eastern coastal USA west to TX and CA
Wildlife value
Members of the genus Anatherum support Common Wood-Nymph (Cercyonis pegala) larvae which have one brood from late May to October. Adult Common Wood-Nymph butterflies feed on rotting fruit and flower nectar. This plant also supports various Skipper larvae. Provides excellent cover year-round. Seeds are eaten by songbirds and small mammals.
Attracts
Butterflies; Pollinators; Small Mammals; Songbirds
Play value
Wildlife Food Source
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Meadow; Naturalized Area; Riparian
Landscape theme
Butterfly Garden; Native Garden; Water Garden; Winter Garden