splitbeard bluestem
Andropogon ternarius · Poaceae
splitbeard bluestem (Andropogon ternarius) is a perennial grass or grass-like plant in the Poaceae family. It is native to North America. USDA records it as hardy in zone 5 and warmer, down to about -18°F.
At a glance
| Type | graminoid USDA |
|---|---|
| Lifecycle | perennial USDA |
| Native status | native USDA |
| Mature height | 3.9 ft USDA |
| Light | shade USDA |
| Water need | low USDA |
| Growth rate | moderate USDA |
| Soil pH | 4–7.5 USDA |
| Bloom | August–September USDA |
| Flower color | Green USDA |
| Hardiness zones | 5 and warmer USDA |
| Guild layer | herb-layer Derived |
| Nursery availability | No Known Source USDA |
USDA quoted from the USDA PLANTS database · Derived computed by a fixed rule from those columns. No value on this page is estimated.
Growing conditions
It tolerates full shade. USDA rates it as having low water needs once established. Its drought tolerance is rated high. It will not tolerate waterlogged soil — USDA rates its anaerobic tolerance as none. It is recorded on soils from pH 4 to 7.5 — a broad range that spans acidic through mildly alkaline ground. Its cold limit is zone 5.
Size and growth
At maturity it reaches about 3.9 ft, making it roughly waist to chest height. It grows at a moderate rate.
Bloom period
USDA records a bloom period of August through September. Flowers are green.
A flowering date, not a pollinator rating.
Foliage, flower and season
Summer foliage is green, fine in texture. Its flowers are not conspicuous — a plant for form and foliage. Its active growth period is summer. USDA rates its lifespan as moderate.
What the site needs to provide
USDA records it across sites receiving 20 to 60 inches of annual precipitation. It needs at least 140 frost-free days to finish its season. It roots to at least 10 inches. Fertility requirement: low — no feeding needed on ordinary garden soil.
Propagating it
Propagate it from seed and bare root. USDA records no cold-stratification requirement, so seed should germinate without a chilling period. Its seed spreads at a slow rate. It does not spread vegetatively, so it will stay where you put it.
Resilience and wildlife
Browsing animals find it highly palatable, so expect deer and rabbits to take an interest. Its fire tolerance is rated medium. Its growth form is recorded as bunch.
Role in a guild
Herb layer. In a layered planting this is the herbaceous middle — perennials and grasses that fill the space between ground cover and shrubs. The layer is derived by a fixed rule from growth habit and mature height.
Tags
Related plants
Others in Andropogon
- big bluestem Andropogon gerardii
- bushy bluestem Andropogon glomeratus
- sand bluestem Andropogon hallii
- broomsedge bluestem Andropogon virginicus
Similar role and hardiness
- Lyall's angelica Angelica arguta
- Columbian sedge Carex aperta
- prickly bog sedge Carex atlantica
- Short's sedge Carex shortiana
- woolly geranium Geranium erianthum
Where this data comes from
Every value on this page comes from the USDA PLANTS database record for symbol ANTE2, or is computed from those values by a fixed rule. Nothing here is estimated or model-generated. Where USDA publishes no value, this page omits the claim rather than filling the gap.
- Quoted from USDA PLANTS: active growth period, Bloom, Bloom end, browse palatability, cold stratification, Drought tolerance, fall conspicuous, fertility requirement, fire tolerance, Flower color, flower conspicuous, foliage color, foliage porosity winter, foliage texture, frost free days min, fruit conspicuous, growth form, Growth rate, Hardiness zones, Lifecycle, lifespan, Light, Mature height, Minimum temperature, Native status, Nitrogen fixation, Nursery availability, precipitation max in, precipitation min in, propagation, resprout ability, root depth in, seed spread rate, Soil pH, Soil pH (upper), Tolerance of wet soil, Toxicity, Type, vegetative spread rate, Water need.
- Derived by a fixed rule from those columns: Guild layer.
Read our full data sources and methodology.
Find more plants for your zone with the Plant Finder.