Wire Bluestem (Schizachyrium gracile)
Wire Bluestem (Schizachyrium gracile)
Description: An elegant perennial clump grass, to 2+ ft, with thin upright leaves, and delicate seed heads.
Natural Habitat: Pine rockland in Miami-Dade. Can grow well on bare limestone.
Planting and Care: Grows readily on exposed limestone, rocky soil, and tolerates drought once established. Prefers dry conditions but grows in moist locations also. Best planted among other grasses and forbs to provide support.
Pros: A handsome grass for mixed gardens and pineland restorations. A “clump” grass; does not spread by rhizomes or runners. Tolerates poor quality and rocky soil.
Cons: Tends to blow over with wind soon after planting, especially if in a solitary exposed place, unsupported by adjacent plants.
Photos copyright: Eric Fleites, Keith A. Bradley