Meet ‘Blackhawks’ Big Bluestem: The 2026 Perennial Plant of the Year

Each year, the Perennial Plant Association — a body of hundreds of professional horticulturists, plant breeders, landscape designers, and garden centre owners across North America — votes to name a Perennial Plant of the Year. These aren’t chosen for novelty or trendiness. They’re chosen because they perform beautifully across a wide range of climates, require minimal fuss, and genuinely earn their place in the garden year after year.

For 2026, that honour goes to Andropogon gerardii ‘Blackhawks’ — commonly known as Blackhawks Big Bluestem. If you haven’t grown ornamental grasses before, this might be the one that changes your mind.

Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) is a native North American prairie grass — one of the dominant species that once covered the vast tallgrass prairies of central Canada and the United States. It’s deeply rooted in our ecological history, and its deep, fibrous root system (which can extend several feet into the soil) is one of the reasons it’s so incredibly tough and long-lived once established.

‘Blackhawks’ is a refined cultivar selected for its dramatic colouring and more compact, upright form compared to wild big bluestem. It was bred by Brent Horvath of Intrinsic Perennial Gardens in Illinois, and it’s been turning heads in trial gardens — including the Chicago Botanic Garden — since its introduction.

What makes ‘Blackhawks’ stand out from most ornamental grasses is that it earns its place in the garden from spring right through to winter.

Spring:  Dark green to deep purple blades emerge from the ground, already showing that distinctive near-black colouration that gives the plant its brooding character.

Summer:  The upright clump grows steadily, developing two-toned foliage as the tips deepen to reddish-purple. It makes a striking vertical foil among summer-flowering perennials.

Late Summer / August: The signature moment — distinctive three-parted flower clusters appear at the tops of the stems, earning the plant its old common name: Turkeyfoot grass (the seed heads genuinely resemble a turkey’s foot).

Fall:  By September the entire plant — leaves, stems, and blooms — transitions to a rich, deep burgundy-purple. The fall colour rivals that of many flowering shrubs.

Winter: The strong, upright stems hold their structure through frost and snow, providing architectural interest and shelter for birds well into the cold months.

Here’s the great news for our local gardeners: ‘Blackhawks’ is rated hardy to Canadian Hardiness Zone 3, which means it’s very well suited to Simcoe County, Muskoka, and the surrounding region. 

It thrives in full sun and actually prefers lean, well-drained soil — meaning the sandy or rocky soils common on moraines and around cottage country are a genuine advantage, not a problem. Rich, overly fertile soil will cause the plant to flop, so resist the temptation to over fertilize. 

Once established — which typically takes a season or two — it becomes extremely drought tolerant and essentially self-sufficient. The only maintenance required is cutting it back to the ground in late winter or early spring before new growth emerges.

Height: 4–5 feet | Width: 1–2 feet

Sun: Full sun (6+ hours)

Soil: Average to dry, well-drained — tolerates poor soils

Water: Low once established; drought tolerant

Hardiness: Canadian Zone 3–9

Maintenance: Cut back once annually in late winter

‘Blackhawks’ checks all the boxes for ecologically minded gardeners, and it connects beautifully to the native plant movement that’s growing strongly right across central Ontario:

- Bird habitat: The upright stems provide nesting material and shelter through fall and winter. The seed heads are a food source for numerous bird species.

- Pollinator value: The late-summer flowers support several species of native skippers and other pollinators at a time of year when many garden plants have finished blooming.

- Erosion control: Its deep, fibrous root system is exceptional at stabilizing soil — ideal for slopes, shoreline buffers, or naturalized areas.

- Native North American heritage: This is a plant with ecological roots in our region, not an introduced species. Growing it supports local biodiversity.

‘Blackhawks’ is a versatile plant that works in a surprising range of settings:

In a perennial border: Use it as a tall vertical accent near the back of a sunny border. Its dark colouration makes surrounding plants pop by contrast.

In a naturalistic or meadow planting: This is where it really shines. Mass plantings create a dramatic prairie-style effect, with movement and texture in every breeze.

As a screen or divider: Its upright, clumping habit makes it effective as a seasonal privacy screen — dense enough to be useful, beautiful enough to be intentional.

At the cottage: Perfectly suited to naturalistic lakeside plantings, shoreline buffers, and low-maintenance landscapes where it can look after itself between visits.

‘Blackhawks’ plays beautifully with other sun-loving natives and late-season perennials. Some of our favourite combinations:

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia) — golden yellow against near-black foliage is a showstopper

Like most warm-season grasses, ‘Blackhawks’ is slow to wake up in spring — don’t panic if it seems to be lagging behind your other perennials. It’s gathering its energy. Once it gets moving, it catches up quickly, and by late summer you’ll have forgotten you ever doubted it.

It’s also worth knowing that it may take a couple of seasons to reach its full potential. Think of it as a long-term investment — one that will reward you with increasing beauty and minimal effort for many years to come.