SIDEOATS GRAMA

Bouteloua curtipendula is a warm-season perennial bunchgrass native to the tallgrass and mixed-grass prairies of central North America, where it ranks among the most widespread native grasses on the continent. Slender, arching stems rise to two or three feet, bearing the distinctive seedheads that give the plant its name — small, flag-like spikelets arranged in a single row along one side of each nodding stem. The foliage turns warm copper and russet in autumn, extending its visual interest well into the dormant season. An excellent choice for naturalistic plantings, dry meadows, and erosion-prone slopes, it also provides reliable forage value for birds feeding on the seed.