Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Tree
Origin
North America, United States, Western United States, Southwestern United States, Mexico
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
Types
Bouteloua gracilis
Kigelia africana
Number of Varieties
149
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Open Plains, Prairies
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-99-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9 - 5
12-9
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21
H1, H2, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Plant Size
Minimum Height
91.44 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
91.44 cm910.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Blue Violet
Dark Red, Tan
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Blue Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Purple, Blue Green, Tan
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Pinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Drought
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Medium
Needs a lot of water initially
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
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
-
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Balanced liquid fertilizer monthly
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Leaf spot, Mealybugs, Rust
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Pollution
Drought
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Flying insects
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Anaphylaxis, Asthma, Hay fever, Pollen, Respiratory problems, Runny nose, Watery eyes
Poisonous when unripe
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Ground Cover
-
Beauty Benefits
-
Acne, Slow downs aging
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes, Wildlife
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cuts
Gynaecological, Malaria, STDs
Part of Plant Used
Seeds, Whole plant
Dried seeds, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food
Used to flavour beer, Used to produce a red dye
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, Tropical
Botanical Name
BOUTELOUA gracilis 'Blonde Ambition'
KIGELIA africana
Common Name
Blonde Ambition Blue Grama Grass, Blue Grama Grass
Sausage Tree
In Hindi
Blue Grama Grass
Sausage Tree
In German
Blau Grama Grass
Sausage Tree
In French
Boutelou gracieux
saucisse Arbre
In Spanish
Azul Grama Grass
Árbol de salchicha
In Greek
Μπλε Grama Grass
λουκάνικο δέντρο
In Portuguese
Azul Grama Grama
Árvore de salsicha
In Polish
Niebieski Grama Trawa
kiełbasa Drzewo
In Latin
Blue Grama Grass
farciminis ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Lilopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Lamiales
Family
Poaceae
Bignoniaceae
Genus
Bouteloua
Kaempferia
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Tecomeae
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
509
1
27800
👆🏻