Blue grama grass

Also known as signal-arm grass or mosquito grass, blue grama grass is one of the most important native species of the shortgrass prairies that cover vast areas of the great plains of Canada, the USA and Mexico. A conspicuous grass with dense tufts of gray-green foliage, it withstands heat and extreme colds. Well known as a pasture grass, it can grow with little or no irrigation and has been extensively used as a water-saving lawn grass for dry climates.

The grass tolerates shallow soil, as well as air pollution, and may be grown near black walnut trees (Juglans nigra). Blue grama grass requires a well-draining, loose soil that is low in organic matter. The grass is exceptionally drought-tolerant, and is capable of subsisting on as little as 7 inches of rain a year. In dry conditions, blue grama grass will tend to grow in clumps, rather than a solid mat. 

Songbirds and quails enjoy blue grama's seeds and stems, as do prairie dogs and jackrabbits. Due to its tolerance of less-than-ideal growing conditions, blue grama grass is used for conservation efforts and erosion control in arid and semiarid parts of the country, notes the National Forest Service. Blue grama grass is used as forage for domestic livestock such as sheep and cattle. It is also cherished by wild species such as mule deer, elk and bison.

Blue Grama Grass. (n.d.) Retrieved from University of Alberta Indigenous Teaching & Learning Gardens website: https://sites.google.com/a/ualberta.ca/our-garden/our-plants/blue-grama-grass

Brown, D. A. (1978). The encyclopedia botanica : the definitive guide to indoor blossoming and foliage plants. Dial Press.

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/information-blue-grama-grass-70213.html

Picture retrieved from https://www.flickr.com/photos/rphlegm/2694231167/