Red October Big Bluestem
Andropogon gerardii 'Red October'
Plant Details:
Plant Type: Ornamental Grass
Plant Family: Poaceae
Plant Description: This upright, clump forming, ornamental grass offers a display of various colors throughout the year. New spring foliage comes in a deep green color with dark red accents. It remains an attractive green color through much of the summer before turning a dark burgundy color in the late summer and finally changing to a scarlet red after the first frost. Spires of airy burgundy blossoms shoot out of the foliage in late summer.
Maintenance:
Maintenance Type: Ornamental Grass - Medium
Plant Care: Ornamental Grass - Medium (showy non-turf grasses that go dormant in winter, 3-6' tall): Use hand pruners or hedger to cut and remove 2/3 of the total grass height. Trim edges. For warm season grasses (more common), this is best done in late winter to early spring. For cool season grasses apply the same maintenance practices in the late fall, once the plant is dormant.
Plant Attributes:
Mature Size: 5-6' tall and 18-24" wide
Utah Native: No
Plant Select: No
Pollinator Friendly: Yes
Localscapes: Foundation Plant, Perimeter Plant
Foliage Interest: Unknown
Foliage Colors: Burgundy, Dark Green, Multicolored, Purple
Bloom Colors: Red, Burgundy
Bloom Seasons: Fall
Bloom Period: Sep - Nov
Growing Conditions:
Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
Light Requirement: Full Sun (6+ hrs sun)
Irrigation Requirement: 
Low (1/2" every 10-14 days)
Low (1/2" every 10-14 days)
Salt Tolerant: Unknown
Deer Resistant: Yes
Garden Location:
-
Localscapes Path
- Paths and Pollinators
Garden Staff Tips & Insights:
This grass tolerates air pollution, but take care to avoid overfertilizing, as this will cause it to flop.
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Spring -
Summer -
Fall -
Winter
