This plant can be used as a background planting that will create a light orange haze during the late fall and winter months. Andropogon virgnicus var. glaucus (chalky bluestem) is very light blue-green in color and grows in dry sites. Background planting or as a casual tall bunching or clumping grass in meadow-like settings.

If grown in a freshwater environment, S. patens will grow much bigger. Use as a shoreling stabilization plant on edges of sand beaches and saltmarsh.