Plant of the Month: September, 2000

by Russell Stevens

Characteristics: Big bluestem is a native warm-season perennial grass. It grows in open woods and, in prairies, with other grasses on dry upland sites. It thrives in rich sandy soils and reaches up to 6.5 feet tall. It is a major component of the Tallgrass Prairie. The inflorescence (seed head) may consist of two to seven spikelike branches, which are more commonly in pairs or triplets and resemble a turkey's foot when they mature in summer and early fall; hence the common name turkey-foot. Stems form small to large clumps and may be densely hairy at the base. Leaves are long and linear with compressed purplish sheaths. Big bluestem reproduces by seeds and tillers or sometimes by rhizomes.

Area of Importance: Throughout Oklahoma and Texas.

Attributes: Big bluestem is considered one of the major forage producing grasses of the Tallgrass Prairie. It provides excellent forage for cattle and makes good hay when cut at the onset of seed production. Its growth cycle is three to four months, beginning about early May and peaking in late June. Big bluestem provides escape cover and, for some bird species, nesting cover.

Problems: Like many other high successional native grasses, big bluestem is preferred by cattle and requires proper grazing management to persist. Unlike most introduced forages, it is difficult to revive after abusive management. It has been eliminated from a major portion of its original range because of tillage and poor grazing management.

I.D. Tip: Along roadways and in well-managed native pastures, look for a tall grass with an inflorescence that, when mature, resembles a turkey's foot. The stem bases are purplish and sometimes covered with dense hair.

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Hundreds of plants are identified in the Noble Foundation Plant Image Gallery.