Adding Structure with Windwalker Big Bluestem
We love ‘Windwalker’ big bluestem for its structure and color and the way it adds movement to the garden whenever there’s a gentle breeze. Often overlooked or approached with trepidation,…
We love ‘Windwalker’ big bluestem for its structure and color and the way it adds movement to the garden whenever there’s a gentle breeze. Often overlooked or approached with trepidation, grasses can actually be a wonderful addition to any garden.
While some varieties may be a bit vigorous (some would say thuggish), ‘Windwalker’ big bluestem is well behaved and elegant. A mature ‘Windwalker’ provides a strong vertical element to the garden. The plant’s colors are striking without overpowering the garden and its tidy habit makes ‘Windwalker’ big bluestem easy to incorporate into a garden design, perhaps at the back of the border.
Common Name: ‘Windwalker’ big bluestem grass
Botanical Name: Andropogon gerardii ‘Windwalker’
USDA Zones: 4–8
Origins: Native U.S. prairie grass
Mature Height: 6–7 feet tall
Mature Spread: 24–30 inches wide
Blooms: Purple plumes in late summer
Foliage: Blue-green that transitions to plum in the fall
‘Windwalker’ big bluestem thrives in full sun and it is drought tolerant. Provide this grass with a bit of supplemental watering in a dry summer for a taller, thicker plant. Does well in sand, clay or average soil and it is deer resistant.
