Split bluestem
Anatherum ternarium
Last reviewed: August 2026
Light
full sun
Water
low
Size
24"–48" H × 18"–24" W
Bloom
Sep, Oct
Native to
AL, AR, DC, DE and 17 more states
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 431 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.
Find rebates in your areaA clump-forming warm-season grass with blue-green summer foliage that turns coppery in fall, topped by fluffy, silvery-white seed clusters that hold through winter.
Wildlife value
Seeds provide winter forage for birds, and the clumps offer nesting cover for native bees and other small wildlife.
Common questions
- How much sun does Split bluestem need?
- Split bluestem grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Split bluestem bloom?
- Split bluestem blooms in September and October.
- Where is Split bluestem native?
- Split bluestem (Anatherum ternarium) is native to AL, AR, DC, DE and 17 more states, per the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew).
Native range data from the World Checklist of Vascular Plants (Kew). Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
Ready to grow Split bluestem? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.
Not sure where to start? Take the 2-minute yard quiz