Sideoats Grama

Sideoats Grama

Bouteloua curtipendula

Poaceae (Grass Family)

▲ ▼ mature, flowering plants

Bouteloua curtipendula: Sideoats Grama

Location near campus: in native plant bed toward east side of Master Gardener areas north of Botanical Center Building in Nathanael Greene park at the Botanical Center.

• native warm-season prairie bunchgrass, with about 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide and 12-24 inch long light green leaves, with evenly spaced glass-like slender hairs along margins at base of leaves
• leaves grow in a mound 6-18" tall
• produces a 18-36 inch tall slender flowering spike, with dangling spikelets off to one side of spike (sort of like little flags on a pole); stigma lobes are bright orange
• foliage turns orange-tan or tan-brown in winter
• prefers well-drained, fertile soils and needs full sun for best growth
• too much water or fertilization will cause weaker stems that will fall over and not remain upright
• native to Missouri