SafePlants

Broomsedge Bluestem (Andropogon virginicus)

Considerations for Pets

• This grass can be invasive in disturbed areas.

Considerations for Children

• This grass can be invasive in disturbed areas.

Scientific Name and Common Names

• Scientific Name: Andropogon virginicus L.
• Common Names: Broomsedge bluestem, yellowsedge bluestem, broomsedge, yellowsedge, Virginia bluestem, whiskey grass, broom grass, broom sage, sage brush, sage grass, yellow bluestem, broom sedge, broomstraw.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Family: Poaceae (Grass family)
• Kingdom: Plantae
• Synonyms: Andropogon virginicus var. virginicus (Chase, 1950)

Distribution and Habitat

• Native to the eastern United States and southern New England.
• Introduced in many other regions, including Australia.
• Grows best on light to sandy soils.
• Common on many pasture sites, especially across northeast Kansas.

Ecological Role

• Can be an invader on disturbed sites.
• Sometimes considered a weed.

Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits

• Caespitose perennial bunchgrass.
• Warm-season grass.
• Grows in small tufts.
• The flat base is usually yellow.
• Grows to 1.2 meters (4 feet) tall, with some varieties reaching 2-3 feet.
• Flowers from September to October.
• Leaves turn a conspicuous reddish-orange color in the fall.

Quirky Facts

• Historically, the long, bush-like grasses were used by housewives to make brooms, hence the common name "broomsedge."

USDA Symbol

• ANVI2

Interactions with Other Organisms

• Used as nest cover, roosting cover and escape by wildlife.
• Involved in decomposition studies with Blackberry plants.

Further Information

• USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center
• USDA Forest Service Species Summary
• Encyclopedia of Life
• Dave's Garden
• Ohio State Weed Lab
• Discover Life
• ResearchGate