Kansas Native Plant Society

Kansas State Grass

State Grass

The state grass of Kansas is Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium). It was named by the Kansas State Legislature as the State Grass of Kansas on July 1, 2010.

Why a State Grass?

The symbols that represent Kansas, such as the State Flower, the Annual Sunflower, and the State Tree, the Cottonwood, teach our children about the place where they live. Kansas is a grassland ecosystem. As a symbol of the prairies of Kansas, a State Grass focuses the attention of Kansans of all ages on the prairie ecosystem. The heritage of the prairies is strong in Kansas, yet many children and adults who live in cities and towns may not be aware of the many ways the grasslands contribute to our quality of life.

Why Little Bluestem?

Several native grasses are considered dominant in pastures and prairies across the state, but the one species that is found in every county of Kansas is Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium). Little Bluestem is a native perennial with a dense root system reaching five to eight feet into the soil. It is drought resistant and grows from two to five feet tall in deep, shallow or rocky soils. It is important for wildlife habitat. It was once the most abundant grass in the Great Plains and is still of major importance in the tall, mixed and shortgrass prairies where it can produce one to two tons of biomass per acre. This grass is nutritious and palatable for cattle and bison, especially after a spring burn, when the new growth is highly attractive to grazers.

Join the Little Bluestem Email List

Help your students learn about little bluestem the grassland of Kansas. When you join the email list, we will record information about your school, post your school to our web site, and add you to our Little Bluestem email list. The email list is an ideal way to communicate with each other and to receive updates from KNPS.

See if your school is on the list of participating schools.

Teach about little bluestem

Use the following materials to help teach your students about little bluestem.

• Meet Little Bluestem, a story written by Little Bluestem
• Little Blue's Story, a story involving the other state plants and animals
• Little Bluestem Facts, a little bluestem fact sheet
• Visit Little Bluestem, where you can find little bluestem
• Scavenger Hunt, a research scavenger hunt
• Crossword Puzzle, a companion to Little Blue's Story
• Coloring Sheets, drawings of Little Bluestem
• Photo Gallery, images of Little Bluestem
• Resources, more information on Little Bluestem

The Bill

Read the 2010 House Bill No. 2649 to name Little Bluestem the state grass of Kansas