Little Bluestem

Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) is a standout native grass that offers beauty in every season. In summer, its fine, upright blue-green foliage gives gardens a soft, vertical accent. By late summer, its delicate purple-bronze flower spikes mature into fluffy white seed heads. As the weather cools, the clumps transform into brilliant copper, russet, and wine-red shades, holding their color well into winter and catching the light in a way that brings movement and warmth to the landscape. 

This tough bunchgrass is perfectly adapted to Utah’s dry valleys and foothills, thriving in full sun with very little water once established. Its tidy form makes it equally at home in naturalistic meadows, modern landscapes, or as a structural accent in mixed borders. Beyond its ornamental value, Little Bluestem also supports native wildlife—providing seeds for birds, cover for small animals, and larval food for butterflies. Rugged, resilient, and strikingly beautiful, it’s a must-have for water-wise and native plant gardens.