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A LITTLE MORE LIFE

Blue grama

Bouteloua gracilis

A low native prairie grass brings lasting ground-level cover to a dry garden.

mat of grassy turf in dry soil.
Matt Lavin · CC-BY-SA 2.0

MAKE IT FEEL AT HOME

A spot to thrive.

Much shorter than maiden grass. Needs sunny, well-drained ground and takes only light foot traffic if used as a lawn alternative.

Sunlight
Full sun
Soil moisture
Dry soil
Mature size
6–24 in tall · 1½–2 ft wide
Season of interest
Summer–fall
Hardiness
USDA zones 3–10
Garden role
A small grass with dancing seedheads
M. 'Adagio' form in bloomJim Janke · CC BY 4.0

ONE GOOD SWAP

Instead of maiden grass.

Miscanthus sinensis

Try blue grama for a small grass with dancing seedheads.

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NATIVE TO YOUR PLACE

Find it in your state guide.

Reviewed native coverage. Choose your state to see more alternatives.

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Dig a little deeper.

Plant profile & growing information Native range: Kew Find a native nursery
Photo credits & licenses

Blue grama: Matt Lavin · CC-BY-SA 2.0
Maiden grass: Jim Janke · CC BY 4.0

Resized, converted to WebP, and cropped in the layout. Each photo retains its listed license. All photo credits