Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Grass
Grass
Origin
Southwestern United States, Texas, Mexico
North America, United States, Western United States, Southwestern United States, Mexico
Types
Nassella tenuissima
Bouteloua gracilis
Number of Varieties
1514
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
driveways, open Woodlands, Roadsides, Rocky areas, Slopes, tree wells
Open Plains, Prairies
USDA Hardiness Zone
6-103-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11 - 4
9 - 5
Sunset Zone
2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
50.80 cm91.44 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
55.90 cm91.44 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Yellow green, Tan
Purple, Blue Green, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Yellow green, Gold, Tan
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Linear
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Pollution, Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively
Average Water Needs, Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Requires little pruning
-
Fertilizers
Apply 12-6-6 fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Pollution
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
Allergy
-
Anaphylaxis, Asthma, Hay fever, Pollen, Respiratory problems, Runny nose, Watery eyes
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes, small hedge
Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes, Wildlife
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Cuts
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Seeds, Whole plant
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Dried Flower / Everlasting, Container, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Dried Flower/Everlasting, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
NASSELLA tenuissima
BOUTELOUA gracilis 'Blonde Ambition'
Common Name
Finestem Needlegrass, Mexican Feather Grass
Blonde Ambition Blue Grama Grass, Blue Grama Grass
In Hindi
Mexican Feather Grass
Blue Grama Grass
In German
Mexikanische Federgras
Blau Grama Grass
In French
Mexicaine Herbe Feather
Boutelou gracieux
In Spanish
Pluma hierba mexicana
Azul Grama Grass
In Greek
Μεξικού Αστραπή Grass
Μπλε Grama Grass
In Portuguese
Mexican Pena Relva
Azul Grama Grama
In Polish
Mexican Feather trawy
Niebieski Grama Trawa
In Latin
Mexicanus Pluma Grass
Blue Grama Grass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Lilopsida
Order
Cyperales
Cyperales
Family
Poaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Nassella
Bouteloua
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Stipeae
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
11650
1
27800
👆🏻