Grass of the Month

Blue Grama

Blue Grama is a long lived, warm season, C4 perennial grass native to North America.  It is most commonly found from the Canadian Provence's of Alberta east to Manitoba and south across the United States Rocky Mountains, Great Plains, Midwest states and down into Mexico.  Blue Grama accounts for most of the net primary productivity in the short-grass prairie of the central and southern Great Plains.

Significance

     -         Blue Grama is the state grass of Colorado and New Mexico.

-         Turns purple with first frost and bleaches to white during winter.

-         Fine textured grass spreads by underground rhizomes

-         Can be used as turf grass or in rock gardens

 Characteristics

-         Plant height at maturity ranges from 15-30 cm.

-         Roots generally extend 30-46 cm from the edge of the plant and 0.9 to 1.8 m deep.

-         Blue Grama is green to grayish in appearance.

-         Blooms appear in September resembling tiny combs

-         This plant likes dry conditions.