little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)

E750715

Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) is a perennial bunchgrass native to North American prairies, valued for its drought tolerance, wildlife habitat, and distinctive blue-green foliage that turns reddish-bronze in fall.

All labels observed (3)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (58)

Predicate Object
instanceOf perennial bunchgrass
plant species
class Liliopsida
commonName little bluestem
droughtTolerance high
ecologicalRole dominant grass of mixed-grass prairie
dominant grass of tallgrass prairie
erosionControl used for soil stabilization
family Poaceae
fireAdaptation tolerant of periodic fire
floweringSeason fall
late summer
foliageColor blue-green in summer
reddish-bronze in fall
genus Schizachyrium
growthForm bunchgrass
habitat old fields
open woodlands
prairies
roadsides
savannas
inflorescenceType spike-like raceme
introducedAsOrnamental yes
kingdom Plantae
leafArrangement basal and cauline leaves
lifeCycle perennial
lightRequirement full sun
management low maintenance in cultivation
nativeTo Great Plains
North America
North American prairies
linked to: Prairies

eastern North America
order Poales
ornamentalUse used in native plant gardens
used in ornamental grass plantings
photosyntheticPathway C4
phylum Tracheophyta
plantHeight 0.3–1.0 meters
restorationUse used in prairie restoration
used in reclamation of disturbed sites
rootSystem deep fibrous roots
seedDispersal wind-dispersed seeds
seedHeadAppearance fluffy white seed tufts
soilPreference rocky soils
sandy soils
well-drained soils
species Schizachyrium scoparium
linked to: Schizachyrium
stemColor bluish
subfamily Panicoideae
tolerance tolerant of drought
tolerant of heat
tolerant of poor soils
tribe Andropogoneae
USDAHardinessZone 3–9
wildlifeValue forage for livestock
provides cover for small mammals
provides food for birds
provides nesting habitat for birds

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (3)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Blackland Prairie historicallyDominatedBy little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
Schizachyrium scoparium commonName little bluestem
linked to: little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)
Andropogon includesTaxon Andropogon scoparius (synonym of Schizachyrium scoparium)
linked to: little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium)