big bluestem

noun

: bluestem sense 1

Examples of big bluestem in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The roots of big bluestem, for instance, can extend up to 12 feet deep. — Caitlin Looby, Journal Sentinel, 9 Dec. 2024 Among the easiest to identify is the big bluestem, also known as turkey foot. — Sheryl De Vore, Chicago Tribune, 3 Sep. 2025 Other grass options include sideoats grama, switchgrass and big bluestem. — Special To The Denver Post, Denver Post, 31 Aug. 2025 And micro-prairies that are routinely scoured by ice in the river to clear the way for native plants such as big bluestem and Indian grass. — Peter Krouse, cleveland, 7 Feb. 2022 Nineteen types of prairie plants are available this year and include favorites like butterfly weed, big bluestem, leadplant, purple prairie clover and more. — Beacon-News Staff, chicagotribune.com, 8 Apr. 2022 Call on large upright grasses, such as the native big bluestem, as well as low-growing grasses, such as ornamental fescues, to create a texture-rich winter landscape. — Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Dec. 2025 Ten thousand years ago, after the last Ice Age melted away, blades of Indiangrass, switchgrass, and big bluestem burst forth from the nutrient-dense topsoil left behind by receding glaciers. — Matt Kirouac, Travel + Leisure, 20 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1887, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of big bluestem was in 1887

Browse Nearby Words

big bluegrass
big bluestem
big board
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Big bluestem.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/big%20bluestem. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on big bluestem

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about big bluestem

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