Hairy Grama
Bouteloua hirsuta
- Native to:
- Guatemala, Mexico, United States
Juan Carlos Fonseca Mata
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Poaceae
- Genus:
- Bouteloua
- Species:
- Bouteloua hirsuta
- USDA Symbol:
- BOHI2
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Graminoid
- Height:
- 50 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- High
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- green, purple
Wildlife Benefits
- Caterpillars:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Olivia's buckmoth (Hemileuca oliviae), Leonard's skipper (Hesperia leonardus), 🛑Ottoe Skipper (Hesperia ottoe)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, small mammals
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fall Color:
- tan, straw
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from crown and roots after fire. Fire maintains prairie habitat and reduces woody encroachment favoring this warm-season grass.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, well-drained, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 8.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- Thrives in open, sunny areas; drought-tolerant
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate best with warm soil temperatures and may benefit from light exposure during germination.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI
Pre-treatment: Seeds are placed in cold moist stratification for 90 days.
Establishment: There is conflicting information on pre-treatment. One protocol suggests no pre-treatment while the other recommends cold moist stratification for 90 days. The protocol with stratification was preferred due to lack of germination rate in the other.
Source: npn.rngr.net