For dry sites. Foliage is low, but seed stalks rise to waist high in good soil. It has a wheatlike seed head which lasts through June, then the plant goes dormant. It has a plumelike seedhead and turns a lovely golden color in autumn. It may collapse because of its height.
Some people stake it to keep it upright.
Look at the distinctive three-toed seedhead that looks just like a turkey's foot. Big bluestem can grow to 8 feet or more, depending on moisture. It makes a wonderful backdrop to bright prairie flowers. Little bluestem seems just right for those rock garden niches where a taller grass would overwhelm other plants. It usually grows about 3 feet high and has fuzzy seed sticking out nearly the length of the grass stem.