Sideoats Grama

Description

Bouteloua curtipendula, commonly called Sideoats Grama, is a Missouri native perennial warm season grass with distinctive oat-like seed spikes.   It tolerates wide range of soil conditions from well-drained sandy soils to heavy clays. We currently offer the following varieties/cultivars: El Reno, Butte, and Iowa native.

Side-oats grama produces high quality, nutritious forage enjoyed by a variety of
livestock throughout the summer and fall months. It continues to be moderately palatable into winter. This makes it one of the most important grass species of the native ranges.

Turkeys relish the seeds. Elk, deer, and antelope eat the foliage.

The unusual and attractive flowering stalks of sideoats grama makes it an intriguing addition to landscaping projects. It is tolerant of a variety of conditions and looks nice in dried flower arrangements.

Sideoats Grama occurs in glades, upland prairies, savannas, and rocky openings of mesic to dry upland forests, almost always on limestone or dolomite bedrock. It is moderately drought tolerant and works well for bank stabilization and restoration of other critical areas. When actively growing and under drought stress conditions, it can be damaged by fire but is otherwise fairly tolerant of fire when dormant. It can also tolerate some spring flooding.

This plant is often used in the following mixes:

Companion Grass Mix – Dry

Videos About This Plant

To learn more about this plant, check out our videos about it and its uses.

Forage That Grows Well in the Summer