Schizachyrium scoparium

Schizachyrium scoparium is a perennial grass with an unpronounceable name, little known and rarely used in our gardens. However, it is one of the most beautiful, due to its foliage that changes colour throughout the seasons. This plant forms an upright tuft, which is green in spring, before gradually turning blue in summer and blazing in autumn with shades of orange and purple. The late flowering emerges among the colourful foliage in delicate and initially shy inflorescences, which then reveal themselves under the light, drying to a silvery hue. This botanical species is fully hardy. It thrives in well-drained, even poor, soils and in full sun, adding a light and picturesque touch to shrub and perennial beds.

Schizachyrium scoparium, formerly named Andropogon scoparius, is a plant of the Poaceae family, endemic to the high plains of North America, but also present from Quebec to Mexico. Vigorous, accustomed to tough competition with other plants, and well adapted to difficult conditions, it withstands cold and drought. It also tolerates poor soils without flinching. It forms a tuft 80cm (32in) to 1m (3ft) tall when in flower, with a width of 50cm (20in), slowly spreading to form an upright bush. It is composed of a base rosette of flexible, linear leaves, and upright stems among which appear delicate inflorescences in late summer or autumn. These are narrow clusters, measuring 3 to 15cm (1 to 6in) long, bearing slender white spikelets, maturing to an ashy silver hue. Towards mid-September, the entire plant takes on reddish-purple hues with violet reflections, becoming increasingly intense until November, and then turning coppery brown. This colouring is even more pronounced in regions experiencing large temperature variations in autumn.

Schizachyrium scoparium has the enormous advantage over many other grasses of remaining upright, without slumping, and therefore remains decorative until the heart of winter. It withstands everything except heavy, waterlogged soils and, as such, is very useful in ornamental dry gardens or in poor, unfertile, or sandy soils. It pairs well with hyssop, catmint, shrubby sage, and mugwort. For a contrast of forms, it can be combined with hybrid mulleins or rose mallows. It is only natural that this marvel has found its place in our beds, among deschampsia with a very pale gold colour in autumn.