Little Bluestem 'Standing Ovation'

All the beauty of Little Bluestem in a tighter, more upright form that works in designed borders and containers without looking ragged.

'Standing Ovation' is everything you love about Little Bluestem, but tighter and more upright, selected specifically for a columnar form that holds its shape without flopping, even in rich soils or partly shaded spots where the species can lean. The blue-green summer foliage stands at attention all season, then transforms to one of the deepest red-purples of any ornamental grass in fall. This cultivar works beautifully in designed garden settings where the species can feel too wild. Mass it in a narrow border, use it as a low hedge alongside a path, or mix it with late-season perennials like asters and goldenrod for a fall display that sustains itself for months. The upright habit makes it excellent in containers for a sunny patio. It carries all the ecological value of the species, skipper butterfly host plant, songbird seed source, in a tidier package that integrates into formal and semi-formal garden designs without looking out of place. Cut it back to 4 inches in late winter.