Native to the Midwest, 'Indian Warrior' grows 58 inches tall and 38 inches wide, with its green leaves turning purple and bronze in the fall. The dark purple flowers appear on the stems from July through October. It grows best in full sun and moist, well-drained soil and enjoys the heat. It is most effective when grouped into large drifts and makes an excellent ground cover for parks, highway medians, and prairie gardens.

The genus Andropogon contains more than 200 species in every part of the world; in North American prairies it was once found in every continental state. Though replaced by farmlands and greatly reduced in numbers, they are starting to make a comeback in restored prairies and home gardens. Their common name, big bluestem, denotes their purplish blue flower stems that can reach 10 feet tall.