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grassArizona NativePool FriendlyPet FriendlyPollinator Plant

Sideoats Grama

Bouteloua curtipendula

Sideoats Grama

A fast-growing native range grass with distinctive sidelong seed spikes that attract birds.

A very cold- and heat-hardy native for USDA zones 4-11; it goes dormant and tan in winter frost and greens up in warm weather, tolerating extreme low-desert heat and drought.

AMWUA Notes

A tough, very low-water native bunchgrass; its only real maintenance is a single late-winter cutback before spring growth.

Care Guide

💧Watering

Water every 2-3 weeks in summer once established; this warm-season native is very drought tolerant and needs little to no water in cooler months.

✂️Pruning

Cut the clump back to a few inches in late winter, before spring green-up, to remove old dormant blades and refresh the tuft; this is the one essential annual task.

🌱Fertilizing

No fertilizer is needed; native gramas thrive in lean, unamended desert soil.

🛡️Pests

Trouble-free; note the pollen can be a mild seasonal allergen.

☀️Seasonal Notes

Distinctive oat-like seed spikes hang along one side of the stems in summer and fall, feeding birds, then the warm-season clump goes tan and dormant in winter.

Soil, Feeding & Propagation

🪨Soil

Thrives in lean, well-drained rocky, gravelly, or calcareous native soils; very tolerant of poor alkaline ground.

💧Drainage

Needs well-drained soil.

🌱Nutrient Needs

None — thrives in lean desert soil without fertilizer.

🌰Propagation

Seed, or division of established clumps in spring.

📐Spacing

1.5-2 ft on center in meadow masses (2 ft mature width)

🌳Roots & Placement

Clumping bunchgrass with fibrous soil-binding roots; may self-sow into natural stands but is not aggressively invasive.

Placement Tips

  • •Space 18-24 in apart in meadow-style masses and native grass gardens.
  • •Use in low-water buffer areas and swales where it self-sows into a natural stand.
  • •Combine with wildflowers for a prairie look that feeds seed-eating birds.
  • •Give full sun; cut back once a year in late winter before new growth begins.

Features

Tan seed spikesBird attractantNative range grassSummer interest

Best Uses

Meadow plantingNative grass gardenWildlife habitat

Ecological Value

Attracts

wind-pollinated

Wildlife Value

birdsseed foragers

Quick Stats

Water NeedsLow
Sun Exposurefull sun
Mature Size2 ft H × 2 ft W
Growth Ratefast
Maintenancelow
HardinessUSDA 9-11
FoliageDeciduous
Drainagewell-drained
Bloom SeasonSummer-fall
Bloom ColorTan
Litter Levellow
ThornsNone
Native RegionNorth and South America

Design Styles

native habitatlow maintenancedesert modern

Include in Your Project

Love Sideoats Grama? Our landscape team sources from wholesale nurseries and can incorporate it into your design.

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Use this care guide to maintain your Sideoats Grama. Questions about your landscape? Reach out anytime.

Data from 2024 AMWUA “Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert” guide.

Sideoats Grama — common questions

Answers for low-desert Phoenix conditions, drawn from this plant’s growing data.

How much water does Sideoats Grama need in Phoenix?

Sideoats Grama is a low-water ornamental grass once established. Water every 2-3 weeks in summer once established; this warm-season native is very drought tolerant and needs little to no water in cooler months. A tough, very low-water native bunchgrass; its only real maintenance is a single late-winter cutback before spring growth.

How big does Sideoats Grama get?

Expect roughly 2 ft tall and 2 ft wide at maturity, with a fast growth rate. Allow about 1.5-2 ft on center in meadow masses (2 ft mature width) of spacing when planting. Clumping bunchgrass with fibrous soil-binding roots; may self-sow into natural stands but is not aggressively invasive.

Can you plant Sideoats Grama near a pool?

Yes. Sideoats Grama is considered pool-friendly, meaning it stays clean enough around water features and hardscape. Litter is rated low.

Can Sideoats Grama handle Arizona heat and winter frost?

Sideoats Grama is hardy in USDA 9-11 and wants full sun. A very cold- and heat-hardy native for USDA zones 4-11; it goes dormant and tan in winter frost and greens up in warm weather, tolerating extreme low-desert heat and drought. Distinctive oat-like seed spikes hang along one side of the stems in summer and fall, feeding birds, then the warm-season clump goes tan and dormant in winter.

Does Sideoats Grama have thorns?

No. Sideoats Grama is thornless, so it is safe alongside walkways, patios and play areas.

Is Sideoats Grama safe around pets?

Sideoats Grama is listed as pet-friendly in this guide. If your dog is a determined chewer, check any new plant with your vet before planting.

When does Sideoats Grama bloom in Arizona?

Sideoats Grama blooms in summer-fall, with tan flowers. The bloom draws wind-pollinated.

How much maintenance does Sideoats Grama need?

Sideoats Grama is low-maintenance. Leaf, flower and pod litter is rated low. Cut the clump back to a few inches in late winter, before spring green-up, to remove old dormant blades and refresh the tuft; this is the one essential annual task.

What kind of soil does Sideoats Grama need?

Thrives in lean, well-drained rocky, gravelly, or calcareous native soils; very tolerant of poor alkaline ground. It needs no supplemental feeding. No fertilizer is needed; native gramas thrive in lean, unamended desert soil.

Is Sideoats Grama native to Arizona?

Yes. Sideoats Grama is native to Arizona and to the North and South America, so it is adapted to local rainfall, soil and heat.