Red October Andropogon (Andropogon gerardii 'Red October')
an-dro-PO-gon jer-AR-dee-eye 'Red October'

Deciduous Perennial Upright, Clump-Forming in the Poaceae Family
 
Buy Red October Andropogon
Size Notes Price Availability
#1 gallon Field $15.69 Likely available
11/1 - 11/8
1/24 - 4/4
50 plug flat Field

Hard to beat for fall color (9/13)

$290.63 Likely available
11/1 - 11/8
1/24 - 4/4
Tray of 6 #1 gallons Field

Hard to beat for fall color (9/13)

$88.35 Likely available
11/1 - 11/8
1/24 - 4/4

Slightly shorter than the straight species, has deep green foliage with red highlights. Deepens to a scarlet red for fall color.

Andropogon gerardii 'Red October' is a big bluestem cultivar bred by Brent Horvath of Intrinsic Perennial Gardens (Hebron, IL) from a 2009 sowing of his 'Indian Warrior', and is itself the parent of 'Blackhawks' and grandparent (via 'Indian Warrior') of 'Dancing Wind'. Its deep green summer foliage takes on candy-apple-red and scarlet hues after the first frost, with reddish "turkeyfoot" seed heads in late summer. Reaching about 4-5 feet tall and 1.5-2 feet wide, it is cold hardy to Zone 3, drought tolerant, and deer resistant.

Pros

  • Candy-apple-red fall foliage, among the earliest and most vivid in the 'Indian Warrior' cultivar line
  • Cold hardy to Zone 3, drought tolerant, deer resistant
  • Parent of 'Blackhawks' and other Intrinsic Perennial Gardens introductions

Cons

  • Over-fertilizing can cause flopping and increased pest susceptibility
  • Self-seeds like the straight species
  • Watch for aphids, leaf spot, or spider mites in poor growing conditions
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 4 - 6 feet tall. 24 - 36 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Full Sun - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Medium
Zones 4a - 9b (Usually hardy to -30° F)
Tags Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Dry, Fall Color, Full Sun, Grasses, Medium, Most Popular, Nativar, Perennial, Red Foliage
Bloom Period August to September
Flower Color Reddish
Foliage Color
 

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Red Dragon Japanese Maple, Gold Bar Eulalia, Grass - Little Zebra Maiden, Variegated Japanese Silver Grass, Northwind Switch Grass,
 
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/03 - 10/04
2024 : 05/01 - 10/05
2023 : 05/04 - 09/30

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!