Growing a Piedmont Prairie
At the Sarah P. Duke Gardens, they're growing a Piedmont prairie, and Hoffman Nursery helped.
Read PostToday’s gardens call for plants that are beautiful, versatile, and perform well under difficult conditions. That’s why Little Bluestems are increasingly popular. There’s been an explosion of cultivars, and at the top of our list is Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Standing Ovation’ PPAF.
‘Standing Ovation’ handles tough conditions and looks amazing. It thrives in poor, dry soils while showing dazzling pastel colors in summer and deep, rich tones in fall. It’s perfect for large sweeps, to stabilize banks, and to add color to fall plantings. It was developed by our good friends at North Creek Nurseries in Pennsylvania.
What sets ‘Standing Ovation’ apart? While other Little Bluestems can flop in rich soils or with fertilization, ‘Standing Ovation’ stays upright. We’ve heard of attempts by growers to make it flop…and to no avail. It stays standing.
Quick Facts:
• Warm season, prairie grass
• Blue-green foliage
• 3 feet, 4 feet with flower
• Sun, dry-average soil
• Zones 3-8
• Tough and drought tolerant
• Remains upright
‘Standing Ovation’ is our newest Little Bluestem, but we have several other outstanding cultivars as well: ‘The Blues’, ‘Carousel’, Blue Heaven™, ‘Prairie Blues’, and ‘Blaze’.
Not sure which selection would work best for your project? Compare cultivars using our Little Bluestem Comparison Chart (you’ll also find this guide in our catalog). To dig deeper and learn more about Little Bluestems, go to our Schizachyrium page.
Schizachyrium crops will be ready starting in July through early September, so book yours now! Email (sales@hoffmannursery.com) or call (800-203-8590) our sales team for more information or to place your order.
Top photo courtesy of North Creek Nurseries.
Get Current Availability: Excel Download |PDF Download