Blue grama

Sun

Full sun; flowering and growth weaken in shade.

Water

Low once established. Water regularly during establishment, then deeply but infrequently during prolonged dry weather.

Soil

Well-drained sandy, gravelly or loamy soil; tolerates clay if water drains freely. Prefers lean to moderately fertile soil and tolerates alkaline conditions.

Height

1-2.5 ft (0.3-0.75 m), including flower stems

Spread

1-2 ft (0.3-0.6 m)

Flowers

Summer to early autumn; green to purplish, comb-shaped flower heads fade to straw-brown and often remain through winter.

Foliage

Fine, narrow, grey-green to blue-green blades form a low tuft, turning golden-brown or straw-coloured in dormancy.

Growth

Moderate in warm weather; slow to establish or resume growth in cool conditions.

Care needed

Low

• Deer resistant
• Drought tolerant
• Cold hardy
• Heat tolerant
• Wildlife

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.1 ft (0.35 m)

2. After 1 year

   1.3 ft (0.4 m)

3. After 2 years

   1.5 ft (0.46 m)

4. After 3 years

   1.7 ft (0.51 m)

5. After 5 years

   1.7 ft (0.53 m)

   full size

About 3 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Slow

• Plant after the soil has warmed, in full sun and freely draining ground.
• Water new plants when the root zone begins to dry; reduce watering once roots are established.
• Avoid routine feeding: rich soil and excess nitrogen encourage soft, floppy growth.
• Keep wet organic mulch away from the crown; use a light gravel mulch if needed.
• Divide congested clumps in late spring as active growth begins.

Pruning. Leave the dry foliage and seed heads standing through winter. In late winter or early spring, before new growth starts, cut ornamental clumps back to 2-3 in (5-8 cm), taking care not to damage emerging shoots.

Late winter

Cut back old ornamental growth before new shoots emerge.

Spring

Remove weeds around dormant clumps; blue grama starts growing later than cool-season grasses.

Late spring

Plant, divide or sow once the soil is warm; keep seedbeds lightly moist until seedlings establish.

Summer

Water new plants during dry spells; established clumps usually need little supplemental water.

Early autumn

Collect ripe seed if wanted, or leave the heads for birds and winter structure.

Winter

Avoid walking repeatedly over dormant lawn plantings, especially when the soil is wet.

• Plant in drifts through a dry meadow with prairie wildflowers for a low, open grass layer.
• Use along sunny gravel paths, where the comb-shaped flower heads can be seen close up.
• Combine with upright perennials such as purple coneflower and prairie blazing star for contrasting forms.
• Use as a low-water lawn alternative in suitable sunny climates where light foot traffic and winter browning are acceptable.

Garden styles it suits: Native meadow, Midwest prairie, Desert / xeriscape, Dry gravel garden, New perennial (prairie) and Southwestern.

Plant it with: Purple coneflower, Prairie blazing star, Butterfly weed, Prairie dropseed, Blanket flower and Purple prairie clover.

Wildlife: Seeds feed small birds, and clumps provide shelter for insects. It is a larval food plant for several North American skipper butterflies; wind-pollinated flowers offer little to bees.

• Crown or root rot in waterlogged soil: improve drainage or move plants to a raised, drier position.
• Sparse growth and poor flowering in shade or cool summers: choose the warmest, sunniest available site.
• Floppy growth in rich soil: stop feeding and reduce unnecessary irrigation.
• Weeds during establishment: clear perennial weeds before planting and hand-weed until the grass fills in.

Not known to be toxic to cats, dogs, horses or people. No part is recognised as poisonous; it is also used as livestock forage.

• Sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula)

  Usually taller, with many small, dangling flower clusters arranged down one side of the stem rather than one or a few broad, comb-like heads.

• Buffalograss (Bouteloua dactyloides)

  Forms a low carpet with conspicuous creeping runners. Its small male and female flower structures lack blue grama's distinctive comb-shaped heads.

Bouteloua honours the Spanish botanist brothers Claudio and Esteban Boutelou, and gracilis means slender.

Propagation. Sow seed in late spring or early summer when the soil is warm, covering only lightly and keeping the surface moist until germination. Divide established clumps as warm-season growth begins. Seed-grown plants vary; divide named cultivars to retain their characteristics.

Accepted botanical name

Bouteloua gracilis

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.