Rountree Big Bluestem

Andropogon gerardi 'Roundtree'(Grasses)

Rountree Big Bluestem is tolerant of a wide range of soils and is the preferred variety of Big Bluestem for hay production. Big Bluestem was the chief grass of the tallgrass prairie and once covered solid acres. The leaves are very nutritious for cattle, and it is now being rediscovered as commercial hay and a forage plant. It begins growth in April and flowers in late summer. The three-branched inflorescence gives it the common name, "Turkey Foot."

Big bluestem is the most important dominant grass of the Great Plains as well as the lowlands along the thousands of tributaries throughout the area of true prairie. Big bluestem is perhaps better adapted to well drained, well aerated soils. Big bluestem can withstand periodic flooding provided the soils are well drained. It can survive short periods of inundation, like those associated with flash flooding.

The seed is a fluffy or chaffy and will not flow generally flow through conventional drills or broadcast equipment but rather a drill needs to be used which is adapted to chaffy seeds. Newer harvesting and cleaning equipment is making great improvements in cleaning chaffy seeds to the point where they are very flowable with the only exception be the Little Bluestem and other extremly fluffy seeds. Chaffy seeds can be broadcast when a carrier is used such as oats, sand, non-nitrigen fertilizer or lime. A rangeland drill is recommended. Though Rountree is best adapted east of the Mississippi, Kaw will do fine if Rountree is not available. The seeding rate is generally 5-8 lbs per acre. For wildlife a lower seeding rate is desired and for hay a higher seeding rate is necessary.

	Cultivar with smaller size than native
	Increased yield and improved digestibility
	Matures early

Height 5-9 Feet

Spread 2-3 Feet

Growing & Maintenance Tips Good seedling vigor and forage productivity. Seed matures two weeks earlier than the 'Kaw' variety.

Interesting Notes Original seed collection from Iowa.

USDA Hardiness Zone 3 - 7

Characteristics & Attributes

Attracts Wildlife Upland Birds Game Mammals Songbirds	Attributes Drought Tolerant Mass Planting Dried Flower	Exposure Sun	Other Characteristics Salt-tolerant BioFuel Cattle Forage
Season of Interest (Flowering) Summer	Soil Moisture Preference Dry Average