Bluestem grass - Schizachyrium scoparium

richardwatsonjoiner

Hi all I'm starting a new prarie border this year and I'm going through grass options and have come across little bluestem - Schizachyrium scoparium. I know nothing about this grass being grown in the UK and was wondering if anyone else has had any experience with it and is it invasive in UK. 

Marlorena

No it's not invasive... I grew it on the south coast of England.. it's an attractive small grass, I bought it for sentimental reasons - won't go into that..   it does get flattened by rain though and demands the driest and most pebbly soil conditions to keep it sturdy..

richardwatsonjoiner

Thanks for the info I think I'll give it a go. I have a few other ideas so I'll have an experiment 

rachelQrtJHBjb

The bluestems are from the midwest of USA. Areas that have long winters with persistent snow e.g. we were there for a month at Christmas and we never saw anything other than white. In the summer, they have very warm, humid weather, with frequent thunderstorms. As a result, everything is lush and grows rapidly. Another plant from this area is baptisia, in multiple colourways, not just the blue one us Brits are used to. I bought Sporobolus heterolepsis, the prairie dropseed, but it's very tiny at present.