Big Bluestem

Andropogon gerardii

no photo — written note
photo: Wikimedia Commons
Plants

The tallgrass signature: two-metre stems with a three-part 'turkey foot' seed head.

Field facts
HabitatPrairie, savanna, restored fields
RangeStatewide, best in the northwest
When to lookFlowers August; bronze through winter
StatusSecure (Indiana DNR / IUCN Red List)
Look-alikesLittle Bluestem, Indiangrass

Field note: Roots reach two metres down, which is how prairie survived drought and fire.

Lesson
Watching responsibly

Walk mowed paths in restorations; grassland birds nest at the base.

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