cue prefers north-facing slopes and is a good accent for dry shady situations. It is hardy in USDA zones 4 through 10.
Blue grama grass (Bouteloua gracilis) grows 6 to 24 inches tall and is native to the Great Plains. It is a good forage plant for native grazers and for livestock. This tough, drought-tolerant plant grows in low-maintenance areas such as golf course roughs and mine revegetation projects. "Hachita" tested high in drought-tolerance against other blue grama cultivars. In the southern part of its range, blue grama grows as a bunch grass; but in the northern part, it forms sod. Blue grama grass is hardy in USDA zones 4 through 9. Purple three-awn (Aristida purpurea) grows 2 feet tall, with tidy clumps that are 6 to 12 inches wide. Airy, purple seedheads on thin stems appear in fall. This plant tolerates heat and drought, and is native to the Southwest. It grows in USDA hardiness zones 8 through 10.
For those who don't like frequent lawn maintenance, native grasses furnish a no-mow alternative. Native grasses don't stand up to foot traffic as turfgrass does, and the kinds of grasses used for lawns give a mounded rather than a carpet-like aspect, but native grasses only need mowing once or twice a year. Buffalo grass (Bouteloua dactyloides, formerly Buchloe dactyloides) is tolerant of cold and drought, and native to American prairies in USDA zones 3 through 9. It spreads by runners and can stand some foot traffic. Introduced cultivars good for mild winter areas are "UC Verde" and "Prestige." Other lawn substitute grasses are fine fescue (Festuca species), which is usually a mix of several different fine-bladed fescues such as creeping red, chewings, sheep and hard fescue. All are hardy in USDA zones 5 through 9. Blue grama is also used in native grass lawns, since it slowly forms sod over time.
- Missouri Botanical Garden: Muhlenbergia Rigens
- Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Muhlenbergia Lindheimeri A.S. Hitchc.
- University of Florida IFAS Extension: Muhlenbergia Capillaris Muhly Grass
- The American Meadow Garden; John Greenlee and Saxon Holt
- United States Department of Agriculture Plant Guide: Blue Grama
- Mountain States Wholesale Nursery: Aristida Purpurea