This is the tighter, more upright silver bluestem...

Thanks,
Deb

Here's a pic of the whole bed if that helps with reference.

I've had the same problem with 'The Blues'. I moved mine to a tougher spot that stays bone dry to see it it helps. I looked it up online, its called lodging, so at least I got a name for it. 'The Blues' is prone to do this more than other cultivars, I also read. I have several plants of another cultivar, 'Blue Heaven', which has much stronger stems and it doesn't do this, even in half day sun. Its not as blue, the blades not as thin but the fall coloring is stunning. I moved some volunteers of the 'Blue Heaven' into full sun a month or so ago and those are bluer than the ones in partial, some are blooming.

There is another I ran across while searching this out called 'Standing Ovation' and it is advertised as the best for remaining vertical and not lodging.

The native ones that grow along the roadsides are very stiffly vertical but they are not in good garden soil. I think the secret is to either purchase ones that are not prone to do this or plant them in a very dry spot in poor soil. Too much water will cause it too but when its a rainy summer, there's not much you can do about it.

Thanks for the info TexasRanger10. I can live with 'lodging' since it's not the plant disease or pest problem. It's been an unusually wet Spring and early Summer here, so your info fits right into what is happening.

That bed has very lean soil, full sun and was intentionally planted with grasses for low water consumption. I added the butterfly bush and a couple of phlox (for their late summer flowers) which I can hand water easily.

Anyhoo, thanks again!