Beardgrass or Cane bluestem. A vigorous native species to 4’ tall with a sprawling, somewhat floppy habit and intriguing flower spikes that look, when backlit, like small, glowing candles. The silky flowers emerge cream-colored from May through October, then become a glowing silver before shattering. In fall, the blue-green stems and leaves blush shades of red or orange, especially in colder climates. Enchanting in meadow plantings and coastal gardens, this rugged grass is especially useful massed in drifts with Leymus condensatus ‘Canyon Prince’. Place in full sun with well-drained soil, and water occasionally once established. Fully deciduous in cold climates and semi-deciduous in coastal Mediterranean climates, it is possibly invasive in some sites. Cut back once a year for a more cultivated appearance. Hardy to 0F. California, Southwestern North America.
