Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Tree
Origin
North America, United States, Western United States, Southwestern United States, Mexico
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Types
Bouteloua gracilis
-
Number of Varieties
143
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Open Plains, Prairies
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-94-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9 - 5
9-1
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
91.44 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
91.44 cm1,220.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Blue Violet
Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Blue Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Blue Green, Tan
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Drought
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Medium
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
-
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Pollution
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Flying insects
-
Allergy
Anaphylaxis, Asthma, Hay fever, Pollen, Respiratory problems, Runny nose, Watery eyes
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Ground Cover
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes, Wildlife
Erosion control, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cuts
-
Part of Plant Used
Seeds, Whole plant
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used As Food
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Dried Flower/Everlasting, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
BOUTELOUA gracilis 'Blonde Ambition'
BETULA nigra
Common Name
Blonde Ambition Blue Grama Grass, Blue Grama Grass
River Birch
In Hindi
Blue Grama Grass
River Birch
In German
Blau Grama Grass
Fluss Birch
In French
Boutelou gracieux
Birch river
In Spanish
Azul Grama Grass
river Birch
In Greek
Μπλε Grama Grass
ποταμός Birch
In Portuguese
Azul Grama Grama
river Birch
In Polish
Niebieski Grama Trawa
Rzeka Birch
In Latin
Blue Grama Grass
Betula
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Lilopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Fagales
Family
Poaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Bouteloua
Betula
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
503
1
27800
👆🏻