Description
Sideoats Grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) is a warm-season, perennial native grass found throughout much of the United States, particularly well-adapted to Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. This short to intermediate-height grass is valued for its versatility, commonly used in erosion control, grazing, ornamental landscapes, and as a larval host for at least five species of skipper moths.
The El Reno variety is especially notable for its vigor, dense leafiness, and long-term reliability. It forms sod through spreading rhizomes and produces excellent forage. Sideoats Grama typically reaches up to 2 feet in height, with its basal leaves growing to about 1 foot. Flowering from July to September, it adds soft texture and movement to prairie plantings, pasture mixes, and native landscapes.
This species is drought-tolerant, resilient, and a cornerstone of prairie ecosystems.
