Shortspike Bluestem

Andropogon brachystachyus

Shortspike bluestem is a clumping Southeastern warm-season grass with slender stems and fluffy seed heads, glowing copper in fall. A host for skipper butterflies and cover for ground-nesting birds.

Family: Poaceae
Type: grass
Lifespan: perennial
Height: 2–4 ft
Spacing: 1–2 ft apart
Light: sun
Soil moisture: dry, moist
Soil pH: acidic, neutral
Bloom: August, September, October
Bloom colors: brown, white
Wildlife value: songbirds, larval host, mammals
Landscape uses: specimen, border, naturalizing
Native states: FL