Blue Gama Grass

The Remarkable Blue Gama Grass

When someone mentions the Great Plains, the first picture that comes to a person's mind is grassy prairies rolling gently as far as the eye can see.

Not many people know that the grass found on the prairie is the ubiquitous Blue Gama Grass. It is, in fact, the native grass not only of both the long and short grass prairie but has a natural range extending from Alberta east to Manitoba and southward across the Rockies and Great Plains to Mexico.

The grass is hearty enough to thrive in a wide variety of climates and is an excellent food source for cattle and wildlife.

Blue Gama Grass Is Rather Low Maintenance

Blue Gama Grass is highly drought-tolerant, and due to its dense, shallow root system, it can absorb even the slightest amount of rain that might fall. Due to the dense and shallow root system and the fact that the grass grows in bunches, forming open sod mats, it is also an excellent soil binder and is nearly unmatched at halting erosion once the grass becomes well established. You would have entirely avoided the so-called "dust bowl era" of the 1930s if the blue game on the prairies of the Midwest had not been removed for farming.

Blue Gama Grass usually grows to a maximum of six to twelve inches with flat pointed leaves between one and ten inches long and 1/8 inch wide. The flower stems grow up to eighteen inches tall and are topped by a flower consisting of twenty to ninety tiny spikelet's between June and August. However, it does reproduce with seeds, its most important method of reproducing through vegetative reproduction via tillers. The grass is an excellent choice for those who desire a deep, drought-tolerant plant, especially those who prefer to use native grasses in naturalistic landscaping.

Buy Blue Grama Grass From TN Nursery

Found in the Great Plains, this annual grass is strong-willed to tackle the driest season. Blue Grama Grass flourishes in a sterile environment and can be adaptable to accommodate environmental needs. Blue Grama is multi-purpose grass that can be mixed with other greens or used to fill in tough spots on a golf course. A tasty nibble for wildlife animals, such as an antelope. Set in the prairies of the Midwest in the United States, this grass can give the illusion of a wooly caterpillar from a distance. Distinct with a bluish-gray hue on the leaves, this grass can grow up to 12-15 inches tall. The color changes in the fall season to an orange and red tint, but you can observe the prime of this grass in the summer.

Where Does It Grow

Blue Grama can be found in the southern states, but to appreciate its essence, it can be seen in the mountains as a grazing feast for multiple animals. The grass is accustomed to being rooted in dry areas; a drought would be an excellent provision for the Blue Grama. It cannot withstand sectors that are subjected to saturation or overwhelming conditions. Temperate in dark or harsh soil and fire unless the fire has weakened the grass at the beginning of the growth stage. Blue Grama Grass requires minimal preservation. This grass should be planted in a stable and weed-free setting. Blue Grama Grass uses a unique method of water usage; it swiftly uses water when it is available.

The grass does attract insects that can be threatening for rummaging. Grasshoppers and June Beetle can feed off this grass; therefore, depleting the grass from its nutrients and risking a loss of the Blue Grama. The grass is beneficial for animals and people. Its' versatility supplies food for wildlife, yet providing a particular grace for your lawn.

Blue Grama Grass In Indigenous Landscapes 

I've been an amateur gardener for 30 years, and I've always had a soft spot for native plants. Blue Grama Grass (Bouteloua gracilis) was never a loser. This warm-season grass is found on North America's prairies and will survive in any weather but is instantly beautiful when it's in bloom. Whether you're creating a wildlife garden or an old prairie, Blue Grama Grass is worth its weight in gold.

It is the kind of grass that works with the soil you plant it in, so it is a great grass to plant when other grasses aren't. I've seen it bloom on sandy loam, on grit, and even in places where it gets barely any rain. Its pale blue-green leaves ripple in the wind, setting a sweet tempo in the yard. Blue Grama Grass is back by midsummer, with its signature seed heads curling like tiny eyelashes, giving texture and rhythm to any garden.

Planting Blue Grama Grass is fun. So I always use seeds or plugs, put them in somewhere sunny and drained. This grass grows well, requires little upkeep over the years that I have noticed. It doesn't need fertilizers or much more than occasional watering once it's planted, which is a dream for sustainable and native-loving gardeners.

Why Blue Grama Grass Should Be in Your Garden

Blue Grama Grass is ecologically important, more than just beautiful. It's not just a plant; it's a house. Birds, bees, and small mammals live and die on it. Watching butterflies scoot around the garden and land gently on its seed heads has always been a pleasure of mine. Soil health is also a function of this grass. Its root systems hold the ground in place, and it is a good plant to prevent erosion on slopes. It's a durable solution for gardeners in drier climates who want to keep the outdoors looking its best.

Myself a long-time gardener, yes, there are ups and downs in gardening, but blue Grama Grass is the same all the way. They bind us to the floor just as it binds itself. When you plant Blue Grama Grass, you are not sowing, you are planting the prairie's history, a sustainable future.