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 Green park at the Botanical Center.

·         native warm-season prairie bunchgrass, with about 1/8 to ¼ 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