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Perfect for poor soils and dry gardens.

Schizachyrium Prairie Munchkin

Stiff, upright plumes of steel blue persist from July to November, when they fade to a strawberry blonde color. Prairie Munchkin is perfect for poor soils and dry garden spots and should be used more in municipal plantings.

Are you looking for a native, ornamental grass that won't get too tall, takes poor soils with little to no organic matter and loves to be dry? Then this new selection is for you. Prairie Munchkin was selected from tons of seedlings by Donovan Boehm of Boehm's Garden Center in west, central IL. Don selected it for the steel blue new growth, the perfect size for median and municipal plantings that require plants to be 3' tall or smaller and for the fact that it does not flop in late summer or even winter, like most little bluestems do.

Prairie Munchkin is the perfect native alternative to the highly overused Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster'. This new sturdy grass will make a perfect 3' tall hedge. Use it in naturalistic plantings in a border or mass it in a hedge row for a very minimalist, modern look, Prairie Munchkin is certainly not "small" on uses or personality. The steel blue foliage persists throughout the heat of the summer, then the flowers appear and the foliage slowly turns a shade of strawberry blonde, then to tawny for the remainder of winter.

Please note: We don't sell plants. Asking your local retailer or googling the plant name is the easiest way to find someone selling our plants.

Please note: Download hi-res photos from the photo gallery at the bottom of the page.


Who Am I?

  • Common Name

    Prairie Munchkin little bluestem
  • Botanical Name

    Schizachyrium scoparium 'Prairie Munchkin' PP26335
  • Type

    Perennial
  • US Native?

    YES
  • Bloom Time

    August to November

Cultural Details

  • Bloom Time

    August to November
  • Size

    24-30" tall by 20-24" wide
  • Hardiness Zone

    3-9
  • Light

    Full sun
  • Soil

    average to poor garden soils
  • Moisture

    will take average moisture and severe drought
  • Disease & Pests

    None known
  • Landscape Use

    Commercial plantings, median strips, foundations, borders, containers, urban gardens
  • Propagation

    Divisions, Tissue Culture

Available Photos

Hover over images to download hi-res files.