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Chameleon Little Bluestem

Schizachyrium scoparium 'Chameleon'

Nature Hills Nursery
$4358
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Plant Size

Planting & Care

Where to Plant

  • Sunlight: Aim for a spot that receives six to eight hours of direct sun daily; this is crucial for keeping the grass upright and maintaining the vibrant white, green, and eventual pink/purple variegation. While it tolerates partial shade, expect the stems to become weak, leading to floppy growth, and the colorful variegation to be less intense.
  • Soil: This plant prefers poor, well-drained soil, thriving in sandy, rocky, or loamy conditions. Avoid amending the soil heavily with organic matter, as rich soil holds too much moisture and encourages "lodging," where the plant flops over. If you have heavy clay, ensure the site has good drainage, perhaps by planting on a slight mound.

Watering Requirements

During the first season, water deeply once a week in the absence of rain to encourage the development of a deep, drought-proof root system. Once established (typically after the first year), your Chameleon Little Bluestem is highly drought-tolerant and needs water only during prolonged dry spells. Inconsistent watering or overwatering will stress the plant, causing the stems to weaken and the beautiful clumping habit to lose its structural integrity.

Pruning Tips

Little Bluestem is a perennial that blooms on new wood, meaning its top growth from the previous year is dormant and should be removed. The best time for this "haircut" is in late winter or very early spring, before new green shoots emerge from the base. Cut the old, standing foliage back to approximately three to four inches above the soil line to make way for the tidy, vigorous new growth and prevent it from looking ragged.

Fertilizer Needs

This prairie native thrives in lean conditions and rarely requires supplemental feeding; think of it as a plant that performs better when kept hungry. If you feel the need to give it a boost, apply a light, balanced, slow-release granular fertilizer early in the spring as new growth begins. The key "what to avoid" is high-nitrogen fertilizer, especially applied late in the season, as excess nitrogen promotes overly rapid, soft growth that causes the grass to flop or lodge, ruining its naturally tidy form.

Delivery and Shipping

Preorder Shipping Schedule

We ship your plants when it's safe to transport them to your zone. Dates are estimated and subject to weather delays.

Zone 3-4 Week of March 30th
Zone 5 Week of March 16th
Zone 6 Week of March 2nd
Zone 7 Week of February 23rd
Zone 8-12 Week of February 15th


Shipping Rates

Ships in 3-4 business days • Tracking provided • Weather protected

Under $50 $9.99
$50 - $99.99 $14.99
$100 - $149.99 $16.99
$150 - $198.99 $24.99
$199+ FREE

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Chameleon Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium 'Chameleon') is a color-changing little wonder! Chameleon's narrow leaves emerge striped green and cream, and form elegant, upright fountains that are compact and space-saving clumps! As summer progresses, the graceful tips become light purple and pinkish in color for a triple treat on this graceful Ornamental Grass!

This warm-season grass may take its sweet time getting going in the spring, but watch out once the weather warms up! Spikey blooms add vertical lines that snow won't flatten and the autumn foliage, which becomes flushed with pink as the temperatures drop, carries long-lasting winter interest!

Chameleon Little Bluestem is deer resistant and attracts birds that like to shelter in grasses and feast on the seeds! Chameleon is a must-have for any sun garden! The columnar growth reaches 3-4 feet in height when in bloom, but only takes up 15-24 inches of space! Wildly adaptable throughout USDA hardiness zones 3 to 9, there's little this plant won't be able to handle in your garden!

Planting and Application:

Ornamental Grass adds texture, motion, sound, and color to the garden, and you'll enjoy all that and more, plus Chameleon's hardy, compact, and symmetrical form! Great for all-sized gardens, and boasting both a formal and an informal appearance! Highlight in groups of three or solo specimen plantings that suit this sunny ornamental! Cottage and Rock gardens, beds, borders, and even containers on hot patios are perfect!

Pretty erosion control, Chameleon's color makes any mass planting and tough site gleam! Rock Gardens and that 'hell strip' along a road or sidewalk are perfect locations for these little plants that more than make up for their size with sheer color! Plant along walkways and paths, either in military straight rows or winding soft allées.

  • Compact Tri-Color Ornamental Grass!
  • Cream & Green Stripes With Pink & Light Purple
  • Upright Arching Vase-Shape - Won't Fall Flat!
  • Pink Fall Color & Long-Lasting
  • Space-Saving, Formal & Informal Garden Designs!

#ProPlantTips for Care:

This Little Bluestem s a vigorous, long-lived native cultivar. Because of the ease of care, drought tolerance, winter beauty, and the way it adjusts to various soils and climates, the combination makes it a very hardy plant indeed! Little Bluestem does best in well-drained soil with full sun. You don't have to pamper this pretty grass because it does well in almost any well-drained soil. These drought-tolerant grasses thrive on average to low moisture needs once they are established. For neat clumps in spring, cut back heavily to a few inches each late winter, and divide the clumps every 3-5 years to maintain vigor.

  • Full Sun and Heat & Cold Tolerant!
  • Moderate to Low Moisture Needs
  • Any Well-Drained Soil
  • Warm-Season Grass Variety
  • Easy Care & Low Maintenance

Striking foliage, compact size, and color-changing beauty, Chameleon Little Bluestem is a tough native cultivar that adds high style! Order yours at Nature Hills!

Growing Zones 3-9

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