Andropogon gerardii 'Indian Warrior' PP24999
"Turkey Foot" inflorescences
Foliage color in October
Common Name: Big Bluestem, Turkey Foot, Ornamental Grass
‘Indian Warrior’ forms a tall, strictly upright clump of green foliage that begins to take on dusky purple tones as early as midsummer.
In late summer, glossy deep purple, three-branched inflorescences that vaguely resemble a turkey’s foot (hence the common name) are produced on reddish stems. When they first open, tiny bright red-orange pollen sacs dangle from the flowers and are quite visible even from a distance.
As the cooler weather arrives, the foliage transitions from green to a deep smoky purple with red highlights, becoming enrobed in a shroud of purple by mid-fall.
Dubbed the “monarch of the prairie”, this native grass was once the dominant component of the American tallgrass prairie. It adapts easily to a wide range of soil and moisture conditions as long as full sun is provided. This long-lived grass has a variety of uses including screening, naturalizing, restoring prairies, and nesting materials for birds and mammals.
