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Schizachyrium 'Smoke Signal'
Schizachyrium 'Smoke Signal'

Schizachyrium 'Smoke Signal'

$15.95

Schizachyrium scoparium 'Smoke Signal' is an upright little bluestem with blue green foliage that develops smoky purple tones through summer before turning deep red and reddish purple in fall. Its narrow columnar form brings strong vertical structure to sunny landscapes while its fine texture and changing foliage color provide interest well beyond its bloom period.

Height & Spread: 3 - 4 ft x 18 - 24 in

Bloom Time: Late summer to fall

Light Requirements: Full sun

Soil Preference: Average to dry well drained soil

Watering Needs: Low; drought tolerant once established

Deer Resistance: Deer and rabbit resistant

Native Status

This cultivar is a cultivated form of Schizachyrium scoparium, a grass native to North America. It retains the wildlife and landscape benefits of the native species while offering a particularly upright habit and distinctive seasonal foliage color.

WILDLIFE & INSECTS

Birds

  • Provides seeds for songbirds and valuable cover for birds as its upright stems remain standing through fall and winter.

Butterflies

  • Serves as a larval host for several skipper and butterfly species including the Common Wood Nymph and Leonard's Skipper while also providing valuable habitat within native plantings.

Spacing & Landscape Use

Spacing Recommendations

  • Space 18 - 24 in apart to create a strong mass while allowing its narrow upright form to remain distinct.

Landscape Placement

  • Ideal for native gardens, prairie plantings, sunny borders, and erosion prone areas where its upright form and dramatic fall color create strong seasonal structure.

Companion Plants

  • Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed) - Adds vivid orange flowers and exceptional butterfly appeal against the blue green and red foliage.
  • Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower) - Brings bold midsummer flowers that contrast with the fine texture and upright form.
  • Panicum virgatum 'Northwind' (Switchgrass) - Creates a strong vertical pairing with complementary fine textured foliage.
  • Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna' (Meadow Sage) - Provides violet flower spikes that complement the changing foliage colors.
  • Solidago rugosa 'Fireworks' (Goldenrod) - Extends late season color with golden blooms that complement Smoke Signal's rich red foliage.

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