Dancing Wind Beard Grass (Andropogon gerardii 'Dancing Wind')
an-dro-PO-gon jer-AR-dee-eye 'Dancing Wind'

Deciduous Perennial Upright, Clump-Forming in the Poaceae Family
A big bluestem selected for deep red fall color that holds unusually late, often lasting into winter.

Andropogon gerardii 'Dancing Wind' is a big bluestem cultivar bred by Brent Horvath of Intrinsic Perennial Gardens (Hebron, IL), grown from open-pollinated seed of his 'Indian Warrior' and selected in 2010. Its bluish-green summer foliage gives way to a standout deep red fall color that holds unusually late, often persisting into winter. Reaching roughly 4.5-5.5 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide, it forms an upright, clump-forming habit topped by purple "turkeyfoot" seed heads in late summer.

Pros

  • Outstanding fall color that holds deep red well into winter
  • Native-species toughness: drought tolerant once established, adaptable to poor soils
  • Attracts birds and is rarely browsed by deer

Cons

  • Self-seeds readily, like the straight species
  • Can flop in overly rich soil
  • Slow to establish in its first season
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 5 - 6 feet tall. 24 - 35 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Full Sun - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Dry - Medium
Zones 4a - 9b (Usually hardy to -30° F)
Tags Attracts Birds, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Drought Tolerant, Dry, Fall Color, Full Sun, Grasses, Medium, Most Popular, Nativar, Perennial, Red Foliage, Winter Interest
Bloom Period August to September
Flower Color Purple
Foliage Color
 

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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 04/13 - 09/20
2024 : 07/02 - 09/21
2023 : 06/21 - 09/10

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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!