Big Bluestem

Andropogon gerardi

Pollinator Value

🐛 Larval Host: Cercyonis pegala, Hesperia metea, Amblyscirtes vialis, Polites origenes, Atrytonopsis hianna, Anatrytone logan, Lacinipolia meditata, Agrotis gladiaria, Dargida diffusa, Spodoptera frugiperda
S13+S15 10 verified Eastern NA
❄️ Winter Food Source: Seeds eaten by Brown-headed Cowbird (11% occurrence), Red-winged Blackbird (2% occurrence), and LeConte's Sparrow (1.5% by volume). Standing dead culms provide winter cover and seed for Field Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, and Chipping Sparrow.
S57 3 bird species; S10 sparrows

Proximity Score: 0
Native Status: ✅ Outaouais ✅ Ottawa ✅ QC ✅ ON
Closest Direction: Local
CEC Eco-Regions: 5 – Northern Forests, 5.2 – Mixed Wood Shield, 5.2.3 – Algonquin/Southern Laurentians
Rarity Notes: Ranked S3 (Vulnerable) in Quebec where populations are restricted to Ottawa River corridor and Lac des Deux Montagnes area. Ranked S4 (Apparently Secure) in Ontario with more widespread occurrence. Not SARA-listed. Quebec populations at the northeastern range limit of this primarily Great Plains species.
S22 S3 QC, S4 ON; S26 not SARA-listed; S48 QC specimens concentrated along Ottawa R.
Rarity Ranks: QC S3 – Vulnerable, ON S4 – Apparently Secure
Migration: Stable
Ecological Context: Dominant species of the tallgrass prairie, the most extensive grassland ecosystem in North America. In the Ottawa-Gatineau region it occurs as scattered populations along the Ottawa River on sandy shores, limestone outcrops, and alvars. Habitats include prairies, savannas, open woodlands, river floodplains, and limestone glades. Tolerates periodic fire and seasonal flooding but not sustained heavy grazing.
S10 tallgrass prairie dominant; S61 habitats; S62 Ottawa River sites; S48 specimens on calcareous rock

Roles: Fire Retardant
S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fire Retardant: S73 [MEDIUM]: S11 Fire Tolerance = High (not definitional)]

Category: Analgesic, Carminative, Diuretic, Febrifuge, Gastrointestinal Aid, Stimulant
S29 Analgesic, Carminative, Diuretic; S28 Analgesic, Diuretic, Gastrointestinal Aid, Febrifuge, Stimulant
Notes: Chippewa used a decoction of the root for stomach pain (analgesic, gastrointestinal aid) and as a diuretic. Omaha used a decoction of the leaf blades as a wash for fevers (febrifuge) and for general debility (stimulant). PFAF rates medicinal value at 1 of 5. The plant is analgesic, carminative, and diuretic.
S28 Chippewa and Omaha uses; S29 medicinal rating 1/5

❌ Not Edible

Foraging Notes: No documented food use. Moerman records 15 ethnobotanical uses across multiple Indigenous nations but none in the food category. PFAF edibility rating is 0 of 5.
S28 no food category; S29 edibility=0; S11 Palatable Human=No