Grass · Poaceae family
Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
In short a 10-second read
Little Bluestem (grass) grows to 0.6–1.2 m tall and 0.45–0.9 m wide when mature. It grows best in full sun, in dry to average soil. Hardy to −40 °C.
× spread 0.45–0.9 m
Where to plant
Sun, soil, frost.
It grows best in full sun, in dry to average soil. Hardy to −40 °C.
Sun
Elsewhere it will grow less well.
Soil and water
dry to average · watering: little
Soil: sandy, loamy, clay, gravelly
Frost
It copes with a normal winter outdoors.
How much space it takes
Mature size.
The mature plant next to a person (175 cm).
Next to a person
Reaches maturity in about 2–5 years. The final size depends on the cultivar and the spot — we give the range from smallest to largest.
Calendar
What to do and when.
Months for Central Europe. The line shows the current month.
The year at a glance
Pruning
cut back to the ground (February–March)
Planting
container plant: March–May, September–October
Winter protection
not needed
Overwintering
It copes with winter on its own.
It overwinters outdoors without protection, hardy to −40 °C.
- Needs no protection
- Hardy to −40 °C
- Dies back in winter and regrows in spring
What to combine it with
Same needs, different flowering.
They share the same sun and soil and flower in other months — so the bed flowers for longer.
common houseleek
0.05–0.3 m
Common Poppy
0.23–0.45 m
cotton lavender
0.3–0.61 mReady-made Studio combinations that include Little Bluestem
Pink coneflowers and blue salvia among swaying grasses that still…
Frequently asked
Quick answers.
Does Little Bluestem tolerate shade?
No, it needs full sun.
How much space does Little Bluestem need?
At maturity 0.45–0.9 m wide and 0.6–1.2 m tall; recommended spacing 60 cm.
Does Little Bluestem survive winter outdoors?
Yes, without protection, hardy to −40 °C.
Where the data comes from
We compared the data in 20 expert sources. Last checked 28 September 2026.
Show sources (20)
- GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Schizachyrium scoparium
- GBIF Occurrence Search API — Schizachyrium scoparium
- GBIF Vernacular Names API — Schizachyrium scoparium
- Wikidata (CC0) — Schizachyrium scoparium
- Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder — Schizachyrium scoparium
- NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — schizachyrium scoparium
- EPPO Global Database — Schizachyrium scoparium
- Pollen.lu — Réseau luxembourgeois de surveillance pollinique
- Allergieinformationsdienst (Helmholtz Munich) — Heuschnupfen: Gräserpollen ako spúšťač alergickej rinitídy
- RHS - Schizachyrium scoparium
- RHS - How to grow ornamental grasses
- Iowa State Extension - How to Plant Perennials
- RHS - Ornamental grasses: cutting back
- Invasive plant lists — this species is not on them: EASIN, EU, Slovakia, Czechia, Germany, Poland, Denmark
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