Bouteloua dactyloides Seeds | (syn. Buchloe )
LATIN NAME: Bouteloua dactyloides (syn. Buchloe dactyloides)
COMMON NAME: Buffalo Grass
Plant Profile
Bouteloua dactyloides (syn. Buchloe dactyloides) — Buffalo Grass — is a species with genuine garden merit. During flowering it gives bees and other insects a dependable food source. Add these qualities together and you have a species well worth a place in the garden.
Science & Biotechnology
Botanists studying the Bouteloua group regularly include Bouteloua dactyloides (syn. Buchloe dactyloides) in comparative work, and the species also appears in horticultural trials aimed at gardeners and growers. Its historical ecological role as dominant grazing grass supporting massive bison herds has also made it a key reference species in shortgrass prairie restoration ecology. Continuing work by breeders and collectors keeps good seed of this species moving through the trade.
Uses & Benefits
Beyond its ornamental appeal, Buffalo Grass has the practical versatility that makes a plant worth growing from seed year after year. Within prairie restoration projects, it also plays a valuable ecological role recreating authentic shortgrass prairie habitat structure. Thereafter it wants only the ordinary attentions any garden plant receives.
Grama grasses are premium native forage of the American prairies, valued for drought-hardy pasture and restoration seeding rather than medicine.
Growing from Seed
Buffalo Grass is one of those generous plants that come along well from seed. Sow seed into a loose, well-drained mix at a shallow depth, keeping it consistently moist until germination is complete, which can take longer than many common turf grasses. Full sun suits this prairie native well, and once established it requires remarkably little supplemental water, true to its origin as one of the most drought-adapted grasses of the American Great Plains. Sow the seed evenly over the surface and cover lightly, using a loose, well-drained seed compost, and keep it just moist in full sun until the seedlings are well up. Move strong seedlings into individual pots, keep them in good light, and set them out when the weather and their size agree.
Our Take
Few garden plants carry such a documented history of use as this one does. Buffalo Grass earns its space through character rather than fuss. It is generous with beginners and their occasional misjudgements.
Related Reading
More species in the same orbit as Buffalo Grass: