Bushy bluestem turned fluffy
From late fall through winter and even into spring, the fluffy seedheads of bushy bluestem, Andropogon glomeratus, are a common sight on damp ground throughout central Texas. This November 19th view is from undeveloped land along US 183 in Cedar Park, a fast-growing suburb to the north of Austin.
© 2013 Steven Schwartzman
I like our bluestem around here.
Jim in IA
December 27, 2013 at 7:43 AM
The name bluestem applies to various kinds of grasses. For example, in Austin we have bushy bluestem and big bluestem in the genus Andropogon, silver bluestem (which appeared in the previous post) in the genus Bothriochloa, and little bluestem in the genus Schizachyrium. Do you know which bluestem(s) you have in your part of Iowa?
Steve Schwartzman
December 27, 2013 at 7:59 AM
See p.5 of the document.
There are both big and little bluestem.
Jim in IA
December 27, 2013 at 8:18 AM
The bluestem is lovely, especially against that blue sky. There was a bit of blue yesterday morning, but then hazy, smoky, cloudy and drizzly showed up and now the world itself seems monochromatic. I’ve nothing against the muted colors of autumn, but my goodness!
Too bad I didn’t think to load my online camera manual onto this laptop as well as my PC at home. Live and learn, as they say. I foresee a day of experimentation ahead.
shoreacres
December 27, 2013 at 8:17 AM
Bluestem and blue sky, a natural match, but now there’s more brown and less blue as the land has taken on its winter look: muted, as you said.
If you still have an Internet connection, you could download the camera manual from the manufacturer’s website to your laptop.
Steve Schwartzman
December 27, 2013 at 9:48 AM
To undeveloped land is where I sometimes have to go. But I’ve spent a lot of time shooting blooming trees also. This looks like very tall grass.
Maria F.
December 27, 2013 at 11:19 PM
Undeveloped land (including parks, preserves, and greenbelts) is by far my largest source of photographs.
My low position may have made this subject look even taller than it was, but you’re right that it is a rather tall grass, reaching heights of about 5 feet.
Steve Schwartzman
December 28, 2013 at 8:34 AM
[…] As you heard once before, on the morning of December 3rd last year I set out to get some fog pictures. I didn’t get any, unless you count pictures of plants covered with droplets that had condensed out of the fog. The bushy bluestem (Andropogon glomeratus) seed head shown here is another example. If you’re unfamiliar with this native grass that takes on delectable colors and textures in the late fall and winter, you can look at a stand from farther back in space in time. […]
Bushy bluestem covered with droplets | Portraits of Wildflowers
February 6, 2018 at 4:46 AM