Plant Calculator
Enter the approximate length and width of the area you will be planting and click 'Calculate' to determine how many Schizachyrium scoparium 'Nonglog' you will need.
Correct and successful spacing is complex and depends on project conditions. We encourage you to call us at 877-ECO-PLUG for project specific recommendations and further assistance.
Free Spirit® Band of Gold™
Schizachyrium scoparium 'Nonglog'
Little Bluestem
Not your typical little bluestem! Band of Gold™ starts the season with sky-blue foliage before developing unusual alternating blue and gold sections along its flowering stems in late summer. Its upright habit, drought tolerance, and distinctive coloration make it a standout addition to sunny borders, walkways, and landscape plantings.
Plug Type
| • | Horticultural Plug |
Attributes
| • | Native to North America |
| • | Drought Tolerant |
| • | Salt Tolerance |
| • | Clay Tolerance |
| • | Cut Flower |
Additional Information about Schizachyrium scoparium Free Spirit® Band of Gold™ 'Nonglog'
Band of Gold™ is an eye-catching selection of native little bluestem with an unusual feature that sets it apart from other ornamental grasses: its stems develop alternating blue and gold sections as the plant enters its flowering season. Before this transformation, the foliage maintains a cheerful sky-blue color through much of the growing season, offering a cool-toned backdrop in sunny planting areas.
With an upright, clump-forming habit, Band of Gold™ grows up to approximately 4 feet tall. Its slender, fine-textured foliage creates a vertical presence without taking up excessive ground space, making it useful in both smaller garden beds and larger landscape plantings. Unlike some ornamental grasses that tend to open up or flop as they mature, this selection is noted for maintaining an upright structure.
The most distinctive feature appears around mid-August, when flowering stems emerge with alternating segments of blue and gold. The unusual striping gives the stems an almost bamboo-like appearance and adds a different kind of visual interest than the typical feathery plumes found on ornamental grasses. Small tan-to-brown flowers develop during late summer into fall, followed by seedheads that can remain attractive into winter.
As a selection of Schizachyrium scoparium, Band of Gold™ offers several useful landscape characteristics. It is drought-tolerant, deer-resistant, and tolerant of sandy soils. Its fibrous root system also makes it a practical option for erosion control and plantings where soil stabilization is important.
Because of its distinctive stem coloration, this is a grass worth placing where people can get a closer look. Use it along walkways, near patios, in parking lot plantings, or in perennial borders where its unusual markings can be appreciated. It also works well in groupings, where the upright blue foliage and striped flowering stems create a noticeable seasonal display.
Growing & Maintenance Tips for Schizachyrium scoparium Free Spirit® Band of Gold™ 'Nonglog'
Highly drought-tolerant and generally only needs supplemental watering during extended periods of hot, dry weather.
