Little Bluestem
Schizachyrium scoparium
The backbone grass of the prairie — blue-green in summer, glowing copper and silver all winter.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 2–4 ft
- Fall color
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- Blue Grama
Eyebrow seed heads
Ornamental grass
Blue Grama
Bouteloua gracilis
A fine, low prairie grass with quirky horizontal 'eyebrow' seed heads — a great no-water lawn.
the Great Plainsthe Mountain Westthe desert Southwestthe Great Basinthe South-Central region
Growing Blue Grama
The toughest of the low native grasses for hot, dry, alkaline ground. Mixed with buffalograss it makes a true low-water native lawn. It’s deer-resistant, drought-tolerant, and easy to grow.
Where it grows
Blue Grama is native to the Great Plains. In the wild you’ll find it across Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Idaho · Illinois · Iowa · Kansas · Louisiana · Minnesota and 13 more states. Always confirm it suits your specific county with your state native plant society before planting.
Regional Garden shows Blue Grama on 23 state pages.
Good for
Sourcing
Where to buy Blue Grama
Seeds & live plants on Amazon
Seed packets, plugs, and starter plants for many of these species ship to your door.
Browse on AmazonSome links here are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. The surest source of locally-adapted stock is a native-plant nursery or a native plant society sale in your area.
Plant it with
Companions & kin.
Natives that share Blue Grama’s range and conditions.
Sideoats Grama
Bouteloua curtipendula
A tidy mid-height grama hung with one-sided seed oats — the state grass of Texas.
- Full sun
- Dry
- 1.5–2.5 ft
- Blooms Jun–Jul
Big Bluestem
Andropogon gerardii
The towering 'turkey-foot' grass that once defined the tallgrass prairie, head-high by fall.
- Full sun
- Dry to wet
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color
Indian Grass
Sorghastrum nutans
Tall golden plumes catch the autumn light above a classic tallgrass-prairie planting.
- Full sun
- Dry–average
- 4–7 ft
- Fall color