Introducing The Grama Grasses, Which Are Known For Their Pretty Spikelets

The Bouteloua gracilis, commonly known as the Blue Grama, is an ornamental grass that is compact and low-growing. When you look at the blooms of this ornamental grass, you'll notice that they resemble small brushes.

Growing in dense tufts, this warm-season grass dangles horizontally from one side of the flowering stem. Its inflorescences are red-tinted at first and eventually turn straw-colored.

With a height of only 12 to 14 inches, this native ornamental grass is among the shortest. When dormant, it takes on a tan color.

The small size of the Blue Grama makes it an excellent choice for rock gardens. It can be planted as a single specimen or in small bunches. 

Another species of grama grass is the Bouteloua curtipendula, commonly known as sideoats grama. This is a bunchy or sod-forming grass with upright, wiry clumps of 2 to 3-foot stems. 

When the grass blooms, the small, vivid purple and orange flowers are truly lovely. Numerous Skipper butterflies and moths use sideoats grama as a larval host plant.

This clump-forming perennial is also a warm-season grass species. During the fall, the base foliage often turns purple and red.

These grama grass species are primarily found in North America, with a few species also present in Central and South America.

This species is called the Bouteloua curtipendula, commonly known as sideoats grass.

Sideoats grama is plentiful in the Great Plains prairies and widespread in other areas, but it is uncommon in New England. It is native to western Connecticut, where a few populations are found, but it was transported to Maine in unusual waste material deposits that included seeds. 

Its scarcity may be attributed to its preference for high-pH soils and dry to sandy environments. Dam construction, shade from forest succession, and invasive species are all likely culprits in the reduction of sideoats grama.

NRCS Plant Materials Center

The Blue Grama grass (Bouteloua gracilis) is typically cultivated as it adds beauty to floral arrangements.

Bouteloua gracilis is resistant to drought, deer, and pests. Incorporating it into your garden is a gift to wildlife, as it is a native plant. 

It serves as a nesting site and provides food for birds, pollinators, and small mammals. If you live on a farm with cows or other grazing animals, Bouteloua gracilis is tough enough to withstand their munching.

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If you want to have grama grasses, follow these tips.

Blue grama grass should be planted two months before the first frost in autumn. Till the area and add compost or mixed grit to improve percolation and drainage before planting.

Rake out any flaws or debris. Afterward, it's time to grade the area.

This attractive bluish grass is easy to care for and requires only a fraction of the normal turfgrass treatment that other cultivated types seem to need. If you fertilize, use a low-nitrogen grass fertilizer at the beginning of spring.

The sideoats grama, on the other hand, prefers sun exposure but will grow in light shade. It can thrive in a variety of soil types, from sandy to clay, as long as the soil drains well.

Since root rot can occur with this species, it should not be grown in overly moist environments. It does not require much maintenance as long as you provide a suitable environment for it to thrive.