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Buffalograss Bouteloua dactyloides

Other Common Name(s):

Previously known as:

  • Buchloe dactyloides
Phonetic Spelling
BOO-ta-lew-ah DAK-tah-loy-dees
Description

Buffalograss is a small warm-season ornamental grass in the grass family (Poaceae). It is native to the central region of North America. The genus name Bouteloua comes from Spanish botanists Exteban and Claudius Boutelou, and the species epithet dactyloides is Latin for fingers. It is a stoloniferus grass and is a fast spreader. It forms a dense clump reaching a height of 8 inches tall and 12 inches wide.

Plant this grass in the full sun in dry to moist soils with good drainage. It will not tolerate shade or high traffic. The leaves are blue-green to gray-green and curly. This grass can also be mowed to a height of 2" tall and used as a lawn alternative surviving the heat and drought of southern summers. When this grass goes dormant from mid-fall to mid-spring it will turn straw-colored but it will green back up quickly in the spring. This grass can be seeded or plugs or sod may be used.

Use this grass as a low-maintenance lawn alternative for lawns, in parks, commercial plantings, or golf courses. It can provide erosion control on dry sunny sloped areas.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Leaf spot, brown patch or summer patch may occur. Spread of the plant by stolons into other planting areas can be problematic. It is easily overwhelmed by better adapted warm-season turfgrasses when planted in a mixture. Due to its open canopy, weed encroachment may be problematic. Very few pesticides are labeled for use with this species. 

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#heat tolerant#drought tolerant#lawn alternative#low maintenance#erosion control#fast growing#warm-season grass#naturalizes#humidity tolerant#lawn alternative full sun
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#heat tolerant#drought tolerant#lawn alternative#low maintenance#erosion control#fast growing#warm-season grass#naturalizes#humidity tolerant#lawn alternative full sun
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Bouteloua
    Species:
    dactyloides
    Family:
    Poaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Central North America
    Dimensions:
    Height: 0 ft. 4 in. - 0 ft. 8 in.
    Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
    Growth Rate:
    Rapid
    Maintenance:
    Low
    Texture:
    Fine
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Occasionally Dry
    Very Dry
    Available Space To Plant:
    Less than 12 inches
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Green
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Insignificant
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Summer
    Flower Description:
    June to August green flowers not very significant. Female flowers are on short stems in clusters and male flowers are on long slender stems in combed spikes.
  • Leaves:
    Leaf Color:
    Blue
    Gray/Silver
    Green
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Description:
    Curly fine leaves
  • Stem:
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Theme:
    Drought Tolerant Garden
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Drought
    Dry Soil
    Erosion
    Heat
    Humidity
    Poor Soil