Schizachyrium S. ‘Standing Ovation’ 1Gal

Latin Name: Schizachyrium scoparium 'Standing Ovation'

Common Name: Standing Ovation Little Bluestem

Zones: 3–9

Height & Spread: 30–36 inches tall, spreading 18–24 inches wide

Descriptive Features: A Perennial Plant Association award-winning selection bred for exceptional structural strength, valued for solving one of the classic little bluestem's biggest weaknesses — floppy, sprawling growth by late summer. Forms a strictly upright, sturdy column of powdery blue-green foliage that holds its rigid, vertical form through wind and rain without splaying open, even as the season progresses. In fall, the foliage transforms into a vivid blend of orange, copper, and burgundy-red tones, one of the most dramatic color displays among little bluestem cultivars, and persists through much of winter for continued interest. In late summer to fall, delicate, silvery-white, fluffy seed heads emerge along the upper stems, glowing when backlit by low autumn sun and providing food and shelter for birds if left standing. As a native prairie grass with a deep, fibrous root system, it's highly adaptable to poor, dry, sandy, or rocky soils and extremely drought-tolerant once established. Deer-resistant and low-maintenance, needing only a late-winter cutback before new growth resumes. Its reliably upright habit makes it an excellent choice for formal accents, mass plantings, prairie-style borders, or naturalized meadow plantings in full sun.