Cardinal greets me as I open the door. Every morning, I start out in the dark, listening for the Indigo Bunting’s trill at the top of the hill, followed by Yellowthroat’s poignant song. Often these two are in conversation, calling to one another from the same tall snag that stands sentry in the first field that I return to again and again.
It is impossible for me to ignore the fact that these two begin singing the moment I am in view. Even in the pre-dawn splendor. Robin, Red-eyed vireo, and other warblers follow as I enter the second field that has been allowed to lie fallow. Back and forth I go for three or four miles, soaking in the clearest/cleanest air of the day.
And the Silence.
It is not yet time for human noise pollution to shatter Nature’s symphony. This morning walk has become my sanity during a summer when it is impossible to leave windows wide open because of poor air quality and humidity or even to make regular trips into the forest because of floods and mosquitos. A humidifier hums constantly from a corner of the house. We are living in unchartered territory, with deluges almost a daily reality.
As the sky lightens, I peer at the tall clumps of grasses that are scattered here and there throughout the second field, watching in fascination as reed-like stems sway slightly, even in dense fog. There is never a breeze.
Day after day, my eyes are drawn to these astonishing clumped grasses – silhouetted seed capsules standing sentry at the edge of the horizon. Some days I walk into the wet field, drawn almost against my will (my feet hate being soaked) just to touch stems and the seed capsules that are forming. Some of these grasses are much taller than I am. I tell them they are beautiful. I have fallen in love again.
Well-known Author and Earth-activist Terry Tempest Williams is right: ‘Beauty is a survival strategy’. She is right. Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) is a tall perennial native to the Americas and is one of the more common grasses in many parts of the country. In Maine, this ornamental grass is rarer, found along roadsides, river edges, and in sand-plain communities. It also appears in fields that are not scalped – a rarity around here.
Big blue occurs in southern Canada from Maine to Montana, and south to Florida. I have seen it in New Mexico, and it stretches into Mexico as well. Under optimal conditions, big bluestem can grow ten feet tall and has roots that tap 10-12 feet into the earth aerating compacted soil.
In the field, I visit some stands that are over my head. The foliage changes color with the seasons, starting out as blueish-green in the spring. The color of the leaves varies; some become a deep burgundy. Seed heads often appear to be three-pronged, especially from a distance vaguely, resembling a turkey’s foot.
This year in mid-August, the stems are still quite green with tinted sage gray stalks, but this may be due to continuous heavy summer rains. By fall the grasses are supposed to turn to wheat.
This is an important grass to plant to support wildlife. It is also planted to restore natural habitat and for erosion control. Many creatures feed on the foliage, including skippers (now rare) many types of grasshoppers, beetles, spittlebugs, leafhoppers, and other insects. I had no idea that big bluestem was a host plant for monarchs, though during other summers I have seen these butterflies flying through this very field.
Some songbirds feed on the seed heads, especially field, chipping, and tree sparrows. Both ground nesting birds and mammals use big bluestem clumps for nests and protection all year round. Although big bluestem is primarily pollinated by wind, bees and other pollinators also make use of this plant.
One advantage of big bluestem is that the plant is easy to grow, and once established in your garden or field, it resists heat and drought. It thrives in sandy soil and will even grow in heavy clay. Judging by this summer, I might add it also does well during almost daily deluges!
I do note that other wild grasses are not doing so well; many seem to be rotting and there is a musky odor that is rising out of the fields I walk through, which has only become noticeable during this last month (August).
The sources I consulted were contradictory regarding edibility when deer were mentioned. Rabbits apparently don’t like the grass, though it surely provides wonderful cover while these tasty tidbits are hopping through a field with hawks circling overhead. Beware, cattle love it.
Big bluestem grass seed can be purchased from seed companies or harvested directly from the seed heads. Collect the seed heads when they are dry in September or October. It is important to place seeds in a paper bag to leave in a warm dry area for two weeks before planting.
If the rains ever cease, I plan to collect some seed heads to dry and plant around the house in a couple of places that get enough sun. With any luck, I will have one more plant to help Nature’s insects and birds survive in the years to come.
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