Blue Grama

Bouteloua gracilis, also known as blue grama or mosquito grass, is a tufted, warm-season grass native to Texas. It is known for its unique characteristic of seed spikes that resemble mosquito larvae, hanging from only one side of its flowering stems. This grass is native to prairies, plains, open rocky woodlands, and railroad tracks in the Western U.S., and it was a dominant grass in the dry shortgrass prairies.

The narrow, bluish-gray leaf blades typically form a dense clump that grows 12-15" tall. In autumn, the foliage turns a golden brown, sometimes with attractive hues of orange and red. Purplish-tinged flowers form on arching stems above the foliage in early to mid-summer, bringing the total height of the clump to about 20" tall.

Blue grama grass thrives in dry to medium, well-drained soils and requires full sun. It can tolerate various soils, except for poorly drained wet ones. The grass exhibits excellent drought tolerance and freely self-seeds. It should be cut to the ground before new shoots appear in late winter.