Side Oats GramaBouteloua curtipendula
a.k.a. Sideoats Grama
Sideoats grama is one of the more important range grasses. This species is a must for any open, dry site with the goal to restore and rehabilitate. Sideoats grama is a 2-3' tall native, warm-season, bunchgrass that establishes quickly. It is a classic prairie grass that is excellent in the garden, especially if massed with shorter wildflowers and grasses. It does well at the borders or higher edges of rain gardens where inundation is less frequent. With impressive stature, leaves can reach two feet wide and large umbrella-like flower structure, this species has an imposing presence.
USDA symbol: BOCU
General Information
| Plant Type | Grass |
|---|---|
| Height | 3 feet |
| Light Exposure | Sun |
| Soil Moisture | Dry, Medium |
| Bloom Color | Green, Brown |
Tolerances
| Flooding / Inundation Tolerance | Low |
|---|---|
| General Resilience | 7 |
| Salt Tolerance | Medium |
| Stress Tolerance | Drought Tolerant |
Pollinator Value: Medium
| Bloom Months | July to October |
|---|---|
| Larval Host of | Butterflies |
| Specific Pollinators Hosted | Hesperia dacotae |
Project Planning
| Project Type | Boulevard, Rain Garden, Shoreline Buffer |
|---|---|
| Coefficient of Conservatism | 6 |
| Herbivore Sensitivity | Medium |
| Lifespan | Perennial |
| Rate of Spread | Slow |
| Soil Stabilization | Deep |
| Vegetative Reproduction | Clonal |
Range
| County | Anoka, Becker, Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Carver, Cass, Chippewa, Chisago, Clay, Cottonwood, Crow Wing, Dakota, Douglas, Faribault, Fillmore, Goodhue, Hennepin, Houston, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Kittson, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, Mahnomen, Marshall, Martin, McLeod, Morrison, Mower, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Norman, Olmsted, Otter Tail, Pipestone, Polk, Pope, Ramsey, Redwood, Renville, Rice, Rock, Scott, Sherburne, Sibley, St. Louis, Stearns, Steele, Stevens, Swift, Todd, Traverse, Wabasha, Waseca, Washington, Wilkin, Winona, Wright, Yellow Medicine |
|---|---|
| Ecoregion | Driftless Area, Lake Agassiz Plain, North Central Hardwood Forests, Northern Glaciated Plains, Northern Lakes and Forests, Northern Minnesota Wetlands, Western Cornbelt Plains |
| Approximate Eco Province | Eastern Broadleaf Forest, Laurentian Mixed Forest, Prairie Parkland, Tallgrass Aspen Parklands |