In the wake of discovering interesting ornamental grasses, I present to you one that has been making my heart skip a beat for a few years. It’s a plant with very dark foliage, the big bluestem ‘Blackhawks’ (Andropogon gerardii ‘Blackhawks’).
This specific variety has an almost black foliage! Just by the color of its foliage, it quickly fell into my graces. In this universe of pale green, medium green or dark green grasses, with the occasional touch of golden foliage, a plant with such dark leaf color offers a little something original and different.
But, true to myself, I am always wary of flashy new introductions. When it is too good to be true… it really is too good to be true! Often, these plants disappoint us. So I let the water flow under the bridge, while keeping an eye on the evolution of this plant on the market. It is not uncommon, after two or three years, to never hear about these sensational new products again.
Well, a few years after its introduction, it is still there, in gardens and in catalogs!
Discover Andropogon and, incidentally, Schizachyrium
Big bluestems (Andropogon spp.) are a large group of over 172 species, distributed throughout the world. There are over a dozen species native to North America, and most are grasses that inhabit the tall grasslands of eastern and central America. When discussing Andropogon, one inevitably has to bring up the subject of Little bluestems (Schizachyrium spp.). The distinction between the two genera is somewhat unclear, but everyone agrees that they are very close cousins. Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), which has given rise to several varieties of interest in horticulture, has been named Andropogon scoparius in the past.
In the case of the plant that interests us here, it is a true big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi), which has also given rise to many interesting varieties for the garden.
Black Is a Very Relative Color
Big bluestem ‘Blackhawks’ is part of a small and growing group of grasses that are said to have black foliage. But it must be admitted that horticulturists sometimes have difficulty with color! We often talk about blue flowers to mean purple or violet flowers. And the same goes for black! In reality, the stems and leaves of ‘Blackhawks’ are more of a mix of purple, dark green and violet, with small hints of red. The color changes from spring to fall, with the most interesting hues toward the end of the season.
This variety can reach 120 to 150 cm in height (4 to 5 feet). It is a well-erect plant with an upright shape. In width, it occupies between 45 and 75 cm (approximately 2 to 3 feet). It’s also, and it must be emphasized, a very docile plant that only occupies the space that is given to it. No danger of finding it everywhere in the flowerbed.
The ‘Blackhawks’ variety comes from a seedling of another beautiful grass, this time with completely red and burgundy foliage, the big bluestem ‘Red October’ (A. gerardi ‘Red October’).
Ready for the Gardens of Tomorrow!
As I often like to point out, we need to be increasingly interested in varieties that are resilient and adapted to what is to come, climate-wise. Bluestems are excellent candidates. They like to grow in full sun and are very drought tolerant, which is a reflection of their lifestyle in the wild. In fact, good drainage is the only thing essential to their survival.
Also for gardeners dealing with deer infestations, this plant is not coveted by these garden pests.
Other Beautiful Grasses in this Group
Among the big bluestems, we will also find a very large variety which can reach a height of 2 meters (6 feet) and which also has beautiful dark burgundy, almost black foliage, the big bluestem ‘Indian Warrior’ (A. gerardi ‘Indian Warrior’).
The little bluestems (Schizachyrium scoparium) also propose a beautiful subject with very dark foliage, the cultivar ‘Smoke Signal’ (S. scoparium ‘Smoke Signal’). Initially blue-green, the foliage of this 120 cm tall variety (4 feet) turns dark gray-purple-blue in the fall. It is a very hardy plant in USDA zones 3 to 9.
A beautiful steel blue in summer, the little bluestem ‘Blue Heaven’ (S. scoparium ‘Blue Heaven’) also takes on a beautiful shade of bronze and dark purple in the fall. It is a slightly shorter variety, at 90 cm (3 feet) in height.
I can only invite you to discover the dozens of other varieties that big bluestems and little bluestems have to offer. There are plants of all sizes, each boasting foliage colors more captivating than the next. For plants with steel gray foliage, tinged with red, burgundy and with multi-colored reflections, bluestems are a wonderful candy jar in which one can shamelessly dip!
Love your writing style. Very engaging and easy to follow.
One nickname for Big Bluestem is Turkey-foot Grass, at least locally.
Deer are not a garden pest – they are meat on feet. I have harvested a number as a project to assist farmers. They make good chili!
We have Yellow Indian grass which is gorgeous! We also have bluestems. They’re so lovely!