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First Impression: An exciting new cultivar grown from Andropogon ‘Red October’ seedlings, starting out a dark green but beginning to turning purple as the nights cool down and reaching a near black color by late September.

Habitat & Hardiness: This is a seed cultivar that cannot be found in the wild. This cultivar is hardy in USDA zones 3-9.

Plant Description: Stretching to a height of 4′-5′ and staying in a relatively small clump of 1′-2′ Andropogon ‘Blackhawks’ is a great garden addition with it beautiful foliage. It will produce many vertical stems from scaley underground rhizomes. The stems typically will have a waxy surface same as its parent Andropogon gerardii. In the late summer the foliage and flower stems reach their max height for that growing year topping off with purplish 3 parted flower clusters being about 4″ long. ‘Blackhawks’ typically grow to the taller end in moist soils but staying shorter in dryer soils. With being a warm season grass it will start later than sedges but it catches up in no time and will be looking great in no time.

Cultural & Maintenance Needs: Grown in dry-medium, average well drained soil in the full sun. ‘Blackhawks’ will tolerate a variety of soils and environments. putting out the most growth while in moist/fertile soils but is less likely to topple/droop in drier areas. It will freely self seed in optimum conditions and will develop an extensive root system once established also giving it great drought tolerance. Easily maintained by cutting foliage to the ground in late winter to early spring to spruce up appearance.

Landscape Uses: Best used in mass plantings for wildflower meadows, prairie or naturalized areas. Also effective in border rears or native plant gardens as a screen or accent. The extensive root system of Andropogon ‘Blackhawks’ makes this a good grass for erosion control.

Companion & Understudy Plants: Try pairing with Asclepias tuberosa, Aster novae-angliae, Coreopsis tripteris, Liatris spicata, Rudbeckia hirta or Schizachyrium scoparium. Sorghastrum nutans has similar height, foliage and cultural needs and can be substituted if needed.