Big Bluestem
http://www.northcreeknurseries.com/plantName/Andropogon-gerardii-
Scientific (Latin) Name- Andropogon Geradii
Plant Family- Poaceae
Seed
http://www.prairiemoon.com/Andropogon-gerardii-Big-Bluestem.html
-less than a fourth of an inch long
-growth starts in late spring and goes through fall
Seedling
http://grownative.org/native-plant-info/seedling-identification/big-bluestem/
-about one inch tall
Juvenile
http://grownative.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/bbstem_juv.jpg
-it is four inches tall
Flowering Plant
bloom period:
-late summer to fall is the flowering Big Blue stem stage
-the stem turns blueish purple to red in the bloom period
-the leaves turn reddish with yellow flowers in the fall.
-10- 12 feet long
http://www.prairiemoon.com/Andropogon-gerardii-Big-Bluestem.html
Threatshttp://www.hardytropicals.org/blog/entry/army_worms_are_you_aware_of_them
-army worms in the dry season
-they can live through extreme temperatures
-air pollution
-deer
-drought
-erosion
-cattle
Leaf
http://www.aragriculture.org/forage_pasture/plant_id/grasses/pages/big_bluestem_leaf_hair.htm
-The Big Blue stem has a small, membranous ligule. Hairs are common along the leaf sheath and blade.
Interesting FACTS
- this type of grass was an important food for the American bison, because it was the biggest type of grass there was
-the big blue stem can still get quite aggressive when it's established in a favorable, undisturbed location but over grazing and land destruction have reduced it to mere patches of its former range
Characteristics
-root type is fiberous
-it need sun, part shade
-water use is low, medium,
-soil is moist
-it is a warm season grass
-occurs in dry soils, prairies, open ground and open woods,prefers sandy well-drained soils, can not grow in the shade,requires dry or moist soil.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYSqYCj2CTA
bibliography:
wildflowers of the tallgrass prairie pg.249
tallgrass prairie wild flowers pg. 236
Iowas living roadway/ seedling id guide for native prairie plants, wikipidia , Jewels of the Prairie poster Prairie roots, epa.gov, Prairiemoon.gov.com.,frontiersin.org, aragriculture.org, grownative.org, wildflower.org, missouri.edu, butler.edu, fs.fed.us, plants.usda.gov.,sos.mo.gov, naturehills.com., npwrc.usgs.gov, bleplanetbliomes.org.
(Disclaimer-The information in the Prairie Plant Guide was collected and composed by the 5th graders, we apologize for any inaccuracies.)