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Herbaceous Perennial

Andropogon gerardii 'Red Arrow'

big blue stem 'Red Arrow'

'Red Arrow' is a densely tufted, clump-forming grass with arching, flat green leaves which become bronzed in autumn, and strong, erect stems up to 1.8m high, each with several racemes about 10cm long of brown-red spikelets in late summer which become redder in autumn

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Ultimate height

1.5–2.5 metres

Time to ultimate height

2–5 years

Ultimate spread

0.5–1 metres

Chalk

Loam

Sand

Moisture

Well–drained

pH

Acid, Neutral

	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Full sun

Aspect

South–facing or West–facing or East–facing

Exposure

Exposed or Sheltered

Hardiness
Hardiness ratings
All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets
H1a: under glass all year (>15C)
H1b: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1c: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)

Botanical details

Family: Poaceae
Native to GB / Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Clump forming
Genus: Andropogon can be annual or perennial grasses, with linear leaves and simple or branched racemes of small flowers, often with conspicuous awns, in summer or autumn
Name status: Accepted

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in light, sandy, well-drained soil, in full sun, in a position protected from excessive winter wet; for more advice, see ornamental grasses cultivation

Propagation

Propagate by division from mid-spring to early summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Prairie planting
City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Low Maintenance
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

Cut down old stems to the ground in early spring before new growth begins

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free

Get involved

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