Blue Grama (Boutloua Gracilis)

One of the most important native range grasses is Blue Grama. It is a long-lived, warm season, short grass that is considered to be one of the most palatable grasses available. Blue Grama is a sod forming, fine textured grass that grows eight to twelve inches tall on the range. The foliage is grayish green curing to gray or straw yellow. 

Blue Grama has a good tolerance to low temperatures, alkali soils and is extremely drought resistant. Under moisture stress the foliage goes dormant. It greens up quickly when moisture is received. Blue Grama can be left unmowed for grazing or it can be mowed for forage. 

Blue Grama cures well and retains as much as 50 percent of its nutritive value making good fall and winter forage. It is a general practice to seed Blue Grama in a mixture of other adapted grasses. Blue Grama is widely adapted to all soil types from sandy to clay loams. 

It is adapted throughout the Central United States north to the Canadian border, as well as the Great Lakes Region, Arizona and Southern California. To establish Blue Grama as a pasture or range grass, plant 1.5 to 2.5 pure live seed pounds per acre using a chaffy grass drill because of the hairy nature of the seed.

For a lawn, broadcast one pound per 1000 square feet and mulch with straw.  In a landscape it may be mixed with Buffalograss for an attractive landscape. The two most popular varieties are "Hachita" and "Lovington". 

Both of these varieties are used throughout the United States and are very similar in characteristics and adaptation. Both "Hachita" and "Lovington" are far superior varieties over the native harvested seed because they have been selected for their forage production.

They will grow to a height of 18 to 30 inches with adequate moisture. Contact your local Soil Conservation or County Extension Agent to find out which variety is recommended for your area.