Andropogon hallii (sand bluestem, sand hill bluestem, Hall's bluestem, Hall's beardgrass, prairie bluestem, turkey-foot) is a sod-forming perennial species in the grass family, Poaceae. It is a bunchgrass which grows in tufts and can reach 7 feet (2.1 meters) in height under favorable conditions.

Andropogon hallii
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Subfamily: Panicoideae
Genus: Andropogon
Species:
A. hallii
Binomial name
Andropogon hallii
Synonyms[1][2]
  • Andropogon gerardii Vitman var. incanescens (Hack.) B. Boivin
  • Andropogon gerardii Vitman var. paucipilus (Nash) Fernald
  • Andropogon gerardii Vitman var. chrysocomus (Nash) Fernald
  • Andropogon hallii Hack. var. incanescens Hack.
  • Andropogon paucipilus Nash

Sand bluestem is native to North America. It is found growing from the Mississippi River west to the Rocky Mountains and from Canada to Chihuahua,[1] Mexico.[3] It prefers sandy soils and will dominate in areas that average less than 30 inches of rain annually.[4]

Sand bluestem is a high quality forage with good palatability for livestock, but it cannot stand up to continuous heavy grazing. It is also valuable as browse for wildlife and as a source of edible seeds and nesting habitat for upland birds.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Andropogon hallii". Germplasm Resources Information Network. Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2010-04-09.
  2. ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "​Andropogon halli​". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 2018-07-13.
  3. ^ a b Broyles, Patrick J. (24 May 2006). "Plant Fact Sheet: Andropogon hallii" (PDF). NCRS Plant Materials Program. USDA NRCS Kansas Plant Materials Center. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 April 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-09.
  4. ^ Van Bruggen, Theodore (2003). Wildflowers Grasses & Other Plants of the Northern Plains and Black Hills. Interior, South Dakota: Badlands Natural History Association. p. 12. ISBN 0-912410-05-1.