Andropogon gerardii Red October

Andropogon gerardii Red October is the most red-coloured Shepherd's beard in autumn. With red highlights in spring, this colour intensifies in September to burgundy and ending up in crimson red with the first frosts. It is an upright grass that forms a tufts that are both arching and stiff, from which very airy, rather late flowers emerge in summer, becoming burgundy red at maturity. Resilient to wind, it is stunning in wild-inspired or rustic flower beds with large flowering perennials. It is particularly suitable for vegetating both poor, dry, even barren soils, as well as moist banks.

Andropogon gerardii Red October is a horticultural variety derived from a perennial grass locally called Big Bluestem or Shepherd's Beard. All these plants belong to the Poaceae family, the family of 'true' grasses. Andropogon gerardii is a perennial herbaceous plant, native to the continental regions of the United States. In nature, it is often found in sandy alluvial soils, wet in season, becoming very dry in summer. It is a very hardy species, generally considered the most rewarding among American grasses. This large and very resistant grass is easily cultivated in our gardens. Once deeply rooted, it withstands drought perfectly.

Andropogon gerardii Red October is a non-invasive rhizomatous plant, which is clump-forming. It slowly forms a tight tuft with a vertical but arching habit, just slightly shorter than the species, this variety reaches about 60 cm (24in) in height and 60 cm (24in) in width. Sometimes a little slow to establish, it proves long lasting and vigorous over time. Its stiff and strong stems, called culms, are more or less bluish and bear long and slender flattened leaves whose colour evolves throughout the seasons. In spring, the leaves are deep green with red highlights. In autumn, this cultivar, as its name suggests, offers the reddest shades. Its red hue evolves from September until the first frost, changing from burgundy to crimson red. The flowers occur in August-September, depending on the climate. At the end of the floral stems, silky inflorescences emerge, reaching 1.30 m (4ft) above the ground. These are beautiful floral spikes that can rival other ornamental grasses. The spikes are divided into three distinct strands, giving them the amusing appearance of a chicken foot. Initially yellow-orange in colour, these spikes gradually turn dark red. The deciduous foliage dries up at the end of autumn and regrows in spring.

Very adaptable, Andropogon gerardii Red October tolerates both dry and rocky soils as well as moist to clay soils, but to give its best, this 'beauty of the fields' needs plenty of light. Landscapers appreciate Shepherd's beard for its ornamental qualities, but also for its physiological properties. Its deep root system, which effectively stabilises riverbanks, also enables the plant to withstand dry summers. Its abundant foliage can create visual screens or be used as a background in landscaping. In a large border or flower bed, plant this Andropogon alongside other robust plants that populate the great prairies of North America: Panicums, red Echinaceas, echoing its autumn foliage. Also plant Asters, Helianthus, Verbena bonariensis, Agastaches, or Baptisias. Like all grasses, it is irreplaceable for bringing lightness to neighbouring plants, whether perennials or shrubs.