Blue Grama

Bouteloua gracilis

Blue Grama is a small tufted native warm-season grass common in short grass prairies. The wiry blue-grey leaf blades turn golden brown in fall, and may sometimes gain a red-orange hue.  Small purplish flowers appear on stems in summer.  Blue Grama needs full sun and well-drained soils.  Extremely drought tolerant.  

MAINTENANCE NEEDS:  Low maintenance.  Extreme drought may cause browning and temporary dormancy until moisture is available.  Cut to ground in late winter before new shoots appear.

LANDSCAPE USES:  Accents or Group Plantings, Borders, Woodland Gardens, Wildlife Gardens, Naturalized Areas, Native Gardens, Rock Gardens, Xeriscaping, and Containers.

COMPANION PLANTS: Ornamental Onion, Black-Eyed Susan, Butterfly Weed

IMAGES: Photos by Matt Lavin, Bouteloua gracilis - blue grama, set (1)+(2),  (3) Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, Bouteloua gracilis Butelua 2007-08-11 02, CC BY-SA 4.0

 *As plants have ranges in appearance they may not appear as the images shown.