Bushy Bluestem (Andropogon glomeratus)

Quick Facts

• Type: grass
• Size: 3-5 ft tall
• Sun: full
• Water: moderate
• Soil: Moist sandy soils; tolerates seasonal flooding
• USDA zones: 8-11

Dense coppery-orange seed heads in fall look like feather dusters; great winter interest.

Tolerates wetter ground than most bluestems; leave standing through winter for birds and texture.

In the Landscape

Perfect for rain gardens, bioswales, and moist meadow edges where its fluffy copper seed heads catch the low fall sun. Plant in drifts, not singles.

Care & Propagation

Plant in spring in a spot with at least seasonal moisture. Leave the seed heads standing through winter for the birds, then cut back hard in late winter before new shoots emerge.

Sow fresh seed on the surface in spring; it needs light to germinate. Established clumps can be divided in late winter.

Wildlife Value

The dense, fluffy seed heads feed sparrows and other seed-eating birds all winter. Clumps give cover to rabbits, quail, and overwintering insects.

🌱 Fun fact: Each of those cottony tufts is a cluster of seeds wearing tiny parachutes of silky hair — one plant can launch thousands of them on a breezy October day.

← Browse all Florida native plants

🌴 In Florida

Tolerates wetter ground than most bluestems; leave standing through winter for birds and texture.

🌿 Keep exploring

More Florida natives worth meeting:

• Broomsedge Bluestem (Andropogon virginicus)
• Elliott's Lovegrass (Eragrostis elliottii)
• Fakahatchee Grass (Tripsacum dactyloides)