I am using these images as references for my prairie restoration project. It is taking forever. The following information is taken from http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/big_bluestem_grass.htm. Big bluestem is tolerant of a wide range of soils and moisture. Depending on soil and moisture conditions, it grows to a height of 3 – 10 ft. Big Bluestem is a perennial grass. The stem base turns to a blue-purple as it matures. The seed heads have three spike-like projections, resulting in another common name for big bluestem — "turkey foot." The roots are deep, and the plants send out strong, tough rhizomes, so it forms very strong sod. Big bluestem is also called tallgrass or simply called prairie tall grass.
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August 10, 2010 at 9:05 am
In 1978, I met Toby, who’d just finished course-work on prairie grasses for her master’s thesis. Returning to Spokane, she had found the top of a rock formation with remnants of an ancient prairie – a small piece of ground, where big bluestem was among the grasses. I never met her again – we were there only for the summer – but always wondered if she was the only person who recognized this relic for what it was.
August 10, 2010 at 11:53 am
Wow! What a wonderful memory. Thanks for sharing. You are a treasure trove of plants and gardening. Are you writing any of these in a memoir? I would love to read about your experiences in the garden and Nature.