Black Mountain Bluestem Grass
Andropogon ternarius
Plant Details
USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 6a-9b Find Your Zone
Plant Type: Ornamental Grass
Height at Maturity: 30-36″
Width at Maturity: 18-24″
Spacing: 18″ for mass plantings, 5’+ for space between plants
Spacing: 18″ for mass plantings, 5’+ for space between plants
Growth Habit / Form: Clumping, Upright
Growth Rate: Moderate to Fast
Flower Color: White
Flower Size: Small in thin vertical seed heads
Flowering Period: Summer through Fall
Bloom Type: Plume
Fragrant Flowers: No
Foliage Color: Blue-Green in Spring and Summer and developing Pink and Red hues later in Summer into fall
Fragrant Foliage: No
Berries: No
Berry Color: NA
Sun Needs: Full to Mostly Sun
Water Needs: Average to Wet
Soil Type: Clay, Loam, Sandy, Silty
Soil Moisture / Drainage: Moist But Well Drained to Dry when established
Soil pH: 4.0 – 7.5
Maintenance / Care: Very Low
Attracts: Visual Attention, Birds
Resistances: Deer, Disease, Dry Soil, Drought (when established), Heat, Humidity, Insect, Rabbits, Rocky Soil
Description
Discovered in Black Mountain, North Carolina, the ‘Black Mountain’ Bluestem Grass is more compact and refined than the species staying at or under 3 feet in height, making it ideal for use in smaller gardens and containers. Its sturdy stems are blue green in spring and summer developing pink and red hues in late summer into fall and turning dark brown in winter. Late summer brings shimmering white flower tufts that persist into winter contrasting beautifully with the dark foliage. Thriving in poor soils and with exceptional drought tolerance, Black Mountain is a super-tough and attractive ornamental grass anyone can grow!
Landscape & Garden Uses
Growing 30 to 36 inches tall and 2 feet or so wide, the Black Mountain Bluestem Grass is ideal for use as an accent in smaller garden spaces or in groupings or large drifts or mass plantings in larger landscape borders. A fine addition to ornamental grass gardens, bird and wildlife gardens, native plant gardens, prairies, meadows or naturalized areas.
Spacing: 18″ apart for mass plantings; 5+ feet or more apart for space between plants
How To Measure for Total Square Feet
How Many Plants to Fill a Planting Area
Growing Preferences
Black Mountain Bluestem Grass is exceptionally easy to grow in dry to moist but well-drained soil of average to poor fertility in full to mostly sun. It tolerates a wide range of soil types ranging from clay to rocky and sandy soils. Excellent drought tolerance when established. Cut plants back to just above the ground in late winter or early spring before new growth appears.
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