Indian grass VS big bluestem which is more aggressive

14 years ago

Between Indian and big bluestem which Is more aggressive In terms of spread rate? Im wanting the more aggressive of the 2 because I have alot of area I want covered so between those which would take over the fastest?

Also can both make it with no fertilizer and no care at all?

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Comments (5)

lycopus
14 years ago
From the prairie restorations that I have seen Indian Grass appeared to be the more dominant of the two, at least initially.
grasslander
14 years ago
zippo 1...
Big bluestem and Indiangrass both have a similar root system...Switchgrass has a rhizomatous root system and will spread faster than the other two...Plant these three and little bluestem...The results will be more pleasing to the eye...and then let whichever wants too, take the driver's seat...
grasslander...
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Big Bluestem is not a scourge in my book. BUT in this conversation , many things are called Bluestem and they are not even of the same family as each other. Big bluestem is Androgon gerardi which is different from Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium). They are totally different from KR bluestem (Bothriochloa ischaemum var. songarica is in the same family as Silver bluestem )Botriochia laguroides ssp.torreyana and Botriochloa barbinodis. These grasses don't look a like and come from different continents. It is confusing because there are many many bluestem varieties within the various species. It gets mind boggling. I do a lot of walking around and looking in fields and gardens. TXranger is much better at grass IDing than me. God luck. Right now, I am trying to tell the difference in the field between Silver Bluestem and Cane Bluestem. They are both blooming and look similar in the pics online. I am trying to collect seed and want the cane bluestem. I do not want to be seeding non native purposely by accident . If you know what I mean. How do I tell them apart. I go to google and type in their names and pull up images. Ladybird Johnson wildflower center data base is a good place to go . So is Santa Rosa Garden Gardens has a bunch of bluestem.
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Ecolane--Mine was about the size of yours last year but is easily as wide as that pot at the base this year. The roots will quickly fill your pot just like Miscanthus or fountain grasses do and become severely root bound. My experience hasn't been good whenever I've done the instant gratification thing and bought root bound grasses in gallon or larger pots that have girdled roots along the edges, the plants seem to refuse to establish and after a whole season I've dug them up to find the 'pot' just came out of the ground looking like it did when I planted it. I only buy the 4" starter sizes from SRG because they out-pace a larger gallon plant bought locally which is usually root bound. Unlike Miscanthus or Fountain Grass, Indian Grass has that prairie survival mechanism in its genes telling it to put down roots that grow several feet into the ground. Mine has sent up some growth from underground rhizomes a few inches from the main plant but its in a spot where it has plenty of room to spread, in fact I want it to. At the History Museum there is a magnificent specimen of Indian Grass that is about 4 feet in diameter at the base and it is gorgeous. The plant is very vertical and straight with tightly packed leaves and dozens of dense bloom stems. I am planning to start a new clump by digging up a few of those rhizomes around the plant because I found it doesn't come true from seed. Linda, this was a special selection listed as an exclusive only available at High Country Gardens. They carried it for a couple years but not last year although its still listed as currently unavailable . I haven't seen it anywhere else online. You might put in a request for it on their website.
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zippo1
Original Author
14 years ago
Grasslander

I only have seeds of Big bluestem and indiangrass, I don't want switchgrass because that grass Is HIGHLY inefficient at setting seed because of Its Alleles (Gene forms) and It Is heavily dependant on Fertilizer. So Its completly out the question.

I think Big Bluestem will In time overtake completely Indiangrass because Indiangrass starts to decline In the absence of fire, No so with Big bluestem It continues to spread and there Is scientific research to back that claim up. In a 6 year plot that hadn't been burned Big bluestem took Indiangrass completely over. I guess Im going to plant them both and just see who can be the more aggressive of the 2.

And by the way Big bluestem DOES have a rhizomatous root system.
fiddlrs3
14 years ago
I find that every year my small restoration changes, some years dominated by Indian grass, the next year by Big Bluestem. If I had to guess, it would be that the timing and amounts of moisture each summer determines which one thrives in a given year. And although I never included any switchgrass in my original plantings, it has gotten a toehold and appears to me to be very aggressively spreading itself...
sam_md
14 years ago
Prairie Moon Nursery's Seed Mix:
WET MESIC SOIL
7.02% Big Blue Stem
7.02% Indian Grass
MESIC SOIL
12.00% Big Blue Stem
1.20% Switch Grass
18.01% Indian Grass
The mix includes numerous other forbs too numerous to mention. Linked below is their site with good instructions. The best restorations I have seen celebrate diversity, no fertilization required.

Here is a link that might be useful: Prairie Moon's Instructions

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Indian grass VS big bluestem which is more aggressive

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lycopus

grasslander

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Indian grass VS big bluestem which is more aggressive

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lycopus

grasslander

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zippo1
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