Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Grass
Origin
North America, United States, Western United States, Southwestern United States, Mexico
North America, Canada, Mexico
Types
Bouteloua gracilis
Panicum abscissum, Panicum acostia, Panicum amarum
Number of Varieties
1438
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Open Plains, Prairies
Prairies
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, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
91.44 cm150.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
91.44 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Blue Violet
Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Blue Green
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Blue Green, Tan
Red, Green, Orange, Blue Green, Gray Green, Bronze
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Tan, Sandy Brown
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Grass like
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, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Drought
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Divison, Root Division
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Medium
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, 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, Alkaline
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 spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Pollution
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Flying insects
Birds, Wildlife
Allergy
Anaphylaxis, Asthma, Hay fever, Pollen, Respiratory problems, Runny nose, Watery eyes
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Ground Cover
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes, Wildlife
Air purification, Provides ground cover, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cuts
-
Part of Plant Used
Seeds, Whole plant
Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food
Cattle Fodder, Used as Biofuel
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Dried Flower/Everlasting, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
BOUTELOUA gracilis 'Blonde Ambition'
PANICUM virgatum
Common Name
Blonde Ambition Blue Grama Grass, Blue Grama Grass
Switchgrass
In Hindi
Blue Grama Grass
Switchgrass
In German
Blau Grama Grass
Switchgrass
In French
Boutelou gracieux
switchgrass
In Spanish
Azul Grama Grass
switchgrass
In Greek
Μπλε Grama Grass
switchgrass
In Portuguese
Azul Grama Grama
switchgrass
In Polish
Niebieski Grama Trawa
switchgrass
In Latin
Blue Grama Grass
switchgrass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Lilopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Cyperales
Family
Poaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Bouteloua
Panicum
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Paniceae
Subfamily
-
Panicoideae
Number of Species
50450
1
27800
👆🏻