Bouteloua gracilis - Blue Grama, Mosquito Grass

The small size of Blue Grama extends the range of choices in a garden design. It can be used at the front of a border, as a specimen, in the rock garden and with its very thin leaves and the fact that it can be mowed, Bouteloua gracilis can be used as a low-maintenance lawn substitute alone or combined with Buchloe dactyloides (Buffalo grass).

Our current strain holds it flowers well above the foliage, making a wonderful display of the extremely decorative seedheads in the late summer and fall. When showing your grasses to friends, they will likely be delighted if you pick them a few flowers of Blue grama.

An excellent choice for low-water gardening. Plant 6" apart for a ground cover.

Description: warm season; clump forming
Foliage is grey-green; the width of the blade is narrow; 30-40 cm (12-16") tall
Flowers - June-Aug; 40-50 cm (16-20")

Ideal growing conditions: sandy loam to clay soil in open sunny areas; prefers alkaline to neutral soil but can grow in slightly acid, sandy or dry soils; slow to establish, but a durable grass

Coldest zone: 3 (find your zone; further info on plant hardiness)

Recommended plant spacing: 15-40 cm (6-16") why such a difference?

Season of interest: August - winter

Drought tolerance rating: 1 (water to root depth once a month); further info

Native to: dry plains of central North America

Pronounciation: Bouteloua (boo-tuh-LOO-ah) gracilis (grah-SIL-is)

More ornamental grasses

Compare Bouteloua gracilis to our other grasses in this handy chart.