Hairy bluestem
Andropogon longiberbis
Poaceae


Landscape Uses:

Primarily recommended for natural landscapes and habitat restorations.

Ecological Restoration Notes:

A common understory grass of pine rocklands, but less common in other pinelands in South Florida.
Availability:
Grown by enthusiasts.
Description:
Medium to large herbaceous grass.
Height:
Typically 2-4 feet in height; to 6 feet when in flower. A clumping grass about as broad as tall except when flowering.
Growth Rate:
Fast.
Range:
Southeastern United States south to the Monroe County Keys; Bahamas. In the Monroe County Keys, apparently disjunct from Miami-Dade County to the pine rocklands of Big Pine Key and nearby islands. Probably introduced on Key Largo, where a weed of disturbed sites.
Habitats:
Pinelands and disturbed sites.
Soils:
Moist, well-drained sandy or limestone soils, without humus.
Nutritional Requirements:
Low; it grows in nutrient poor soils.
Salt Water Tolerance:
Low; does not tolerate long-term flooding by salt or brackish water.
Salt Wind Tolerance:
Moderate; grows near salt water, but is protected from direct salt spray by other vegetation.
Drought Tolerance:
High; does not require any supplemental water once established.
Light Requirements:
Full sun.
Flower Color:
Brown inflorescence.
Flower Characteristics:
Semi-showy inflorescence.
Flowering Season:
Summer-fall.
Fruit:
Inconspicuous caryopsis.
Wildlife and Ecology:
Possible larval host plant for Delaware skipper (Anatrytone logan), Georgia satyr (Neonympha areolata), neamathla skipper (Nastra neamathla), swarthy skipper (Nastra lherminier) and twin-spot skipper (Oligoria maculata) butterflies.
Horticultural Notes:
Can be grown from seed.
Comments:
Usually best cut back after flowering. Spreads from seed in the garden and can become weedy.


Keith A. Bradley
Keith A. Bradley
Keith A. Bradley