Quick Search: Little Bluestem - Displayed by Common Name in Ascending Order

Blue Heaven™ has a taller, more upright habit that does not tend to flop like the species. In the summer, the foliage color is a brighter steel blue color with purple highlights, looking almost iridescent up close. From late summer through early fall, glossy purple panicles appear with fluffy tan seeds attached.

An improvement over the species, this cultivar was discovered and selected in a field of Schizachyrium seedlings by Mary Meyer at the University of Minnesota. The fall color is also improved over the species, including a mix of purple, blue, red, pink, burgundy, and orange pigments. This color persists into mid-fall, after which snow typically arrives in the Midwest.

This ornamental grass is a result of an extensive Schizachyrium breeding program from Walters Gardens, Inc. and is the perfect option for those looking to add to their native or prairie garden. The habit is very upright and columnar, and maintains its upright habit through fall. At 3½ feet tall, this grass will be the perfect backdrop to your garden. True to its name, ‘Blue Paradise’ has striking silvery blue stems in summer. In the fall, this grass takes center stage as the leaves develop a deep wine purple color. In early fall, tiny tan seed heads appear on the top half of the stems.

This ornamental grass features strikingly colored, upright foliage with gently arching, bluish-bronze seed heads. Beautiful in the garden as a cool complement to vibrant colors or for naturalizing the landscape. Plumes are wonderful for winter interest.

The foliage of schizachyrium ‘Twilight Zone’ has an iridescent purplish-mauve cast that peaks in midsummer. Bright purple highlights appear in late fall. Though native Schizachyriums typically color up in fall, the new ‘Twilight Zone’ possesses a nearly iridescent silvery mauve purple cast all over the whole plant beginning in midsummer. It retains these eerily beautiful tones through fall when brighter purple highlights appear on the flower stems. The attractive foliage forms a strictly upright, narrowly columnar clump that is about half as wide as it is tall.

This grass would be stunning in combination with silver foliage plants like Silver Mound Artemisia in a sunny, hot, dry spot in the landscape.