Product Field NotesCompanion Plants
Blue Paradise Little Bluestem: Silver-Blue Columns, Wine Fall Color
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Blue Paradise little bluestem is a native prairie grass with a very upright, columnar habit that holds its shape through fall. Its narrow stems and blades are silvery blue in summer. In autumn the foliage turns a deep wine purple, while small tan seed heads with fluffy silver tufts sparkle along the upper stems.
It is slimmer than most grasses, which means it adds height without taking up half the bed. Lavender appreciates the elbow room.
Blue Paradise at a glance
| Trait | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Botanical name | Schizachyrium scoparium 'Blue Paradise' |
| Foliage | Silvery blue in summer, deep wine purple in fall |
| Seed heads | Small and tan with fluffy silver tufts |
| Size | 36 to 42 inches tall, about 24 inches wide |
| Bloom | Late August into mid-September; seed heads hold through winter |
| Hardiness | USDA zones 3 to 9 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Deer | Resistant |
Cool tones now, warm tones later
In summer, Blue Paradise's silvery blue columns echo lavender's cool foliage and purple spikes, so a planting of the two reads as one calm, silvery scene. In fall, the grass flips to deep wine purple, giving the bed a second season of color long after lavender harvest. Through winter, the upright stems and seed tufts add structure and movement.
It shares lavender's love of hot sun and dry, lean soil. Wet, rich soil can make it flop or rot, a problem lavender growers already know how to avoid. Because it grows as a narrow column about 2 feet wide, it fits behind a lavender row, at bed corners or in a rhythm of repeating clumps without crowding.
How it compares with Blue Heaven
Both are upright little bluestems. Blue Paradise is the slimmer, more columnar of the two, with silvery blue summer color and a deep wine purple fall finish. Blue Heaven is taller and broader, with steel-blue summer blades and a multicolor fall mix of reds, pinks and oranges. Pick Blue Paradise when space is tight or you want a strong vertical accent.
Planting and care
- Soil: lean to average, well drained.
- Water: regularly in the first season; very drought tolerant afterward.
- Feeding: none. Rich soil encourages flopping.
- Winter: leave standing for color and structure.
- Early spring: cut back to a few inches before new growth starts.
It thrives in hot, dry sites and helps stabilize eroded slopes, so it is a good partner for lavender on a sunny bank.
About the plug tray
Blue Paradise is offered as a 72-cell plug tray, ideal for prairie and native plantings, slopes and mass plantings. See the product page for current availability and the Wholesale Hub for tray orders.
Frequently asked questions
Does it stay upright in fall?
Yes. Its columnar habit is known for strong resistance to flopping.
Is it native to Michigan?
Little bluestem is a native prairie grass, and Blue Paradise is a selection of it.
When do the seed heads appear?
From late August into September, and they hold through winter.
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