Andropogon gerardii · Native perennial grass · Poaceae
A tallgrass prairie signature: look for several narrow flowering branches spreading like a turkey’s foot.
Other name: Turkeyfoot
Growth: Warm-season perennial
Typical height: About 3–8 feet; conditions affect size
Flowering: Late summer into early fall
Habitat: Prairies, open savannas and restored grasslands
Several slender spike-bearing branches spread from near the top of a stem. In bloom, dangling anthers may be yellow, reddish or purple. Check the whole head: a close photograph of just one branch can hide the familiar turkey-foot shape.
Color and height support an identification but cannot establish it alone. Little Bluestem carries individual narrow racemes on short branches rather than a cluster of fingers at the stem tip.
Compare flower details, mature heads, whole plants and habitat. Select a photograph to enlarge it. These eight views were selected to show different features.
Additional selected photographs show variation in flowering heads, seasonal color and prairie structure.
Grass leaves feed grasshoppers and some skipper caterpillars. Seed heads and stems also provide places for insects to rest, feed or hunt. Big Bluestem is wind-pollinated; an insect resting on a flower head is not proof of pollination.
Native across much of North America, including Illinois and Wisconsin. This gallery includes a photograph labeled Chiwaukee Prairie, Wisconsin. Observation maps show reported records, not the complete native range.
Photographs: Brian / Where’s Wildlife. Sources: Illinois Extension; Illinois Wildflowers. Reviewed October 24, 2026.