GRASSES

Bluestem, Big ‘Bonilla’

Andropogongerardii‘Bonilla’

Description:Thiswarm-season,perennialtallgrasshasshortscalyrhizomes.Coarseseed

stalksreach3to7feet.Eachstalkproducesoneormorehairy,3to6"ingered“turkeyfoot”

spikes,typically1-1/2to4incheslong.Leavesarenumerous,large,¼to½inchwide,usu-

allywithcoarsehairs.Plantsremaingreenthroughoutthesummer,turningrustyredwith

maturity.

Distribution/Habitat:Bigbluestem,aNorthAmericannative,occursinallstatesexceptin

thefarWest.Itsprimaryrangeisthecentralandsouthernplainswhereittypi"ieslowland

tallgrasscommunities.ItisfoundstatewideinSouthDakota,abundantlyintheeasternpart

onunbrokensoilsaswellasintheSandhills.Fartherwestinthestateitoccupiessmallpro-

tectedareaswithfavorablesoilmoisture.

Credit: James E. Johnson & Gary E. Larson, Grassland Plants of South Dakota and the

Northern Great Plains. SDSU, Brookings, SD. B-566 (rev.) August 1999. Page 18.

Photo Credit: USDA-NRCS Plant Materials Center & SDSU Ag Experiment Station