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Squirrels, Birds, Butterfly Larvae, Other Showy Insects
No
Conservation Status
Interesting Tidbits
Bouteloua curtipendula is now rare in the wild in Manitoba, but is available in native nurseries.
(Prairie Habitats Inc.)
Rare prairie grass that grows naturally in eastern and southwestern Ontario. Bright scarlet stamens. Warm season grass; clump forming. (Ontario Native Plants 2002)
Sensory Aspect: texture
This species is deer resistant. (Evergreen)
This is one of the most important range grasses. It is not as palatable as some of the smaller gramas, such as blue grama, but is still more palatable than many other grass species.
It is found on rocky open slopes, woodlands, and forest openings, up to an elevation of about 7000 feet. (USDA Plant Database)
Bouteloua curtipendula often acts as a summer food when many other plants have disappeared or gone into dormancy. Bison have a preference for it, as does the northern pocket gopher. (Harris, Marjorie, 2003. Botanica North America)
Habitat Information: Found on rock slopes, woodland, forest openings and edges. It is one of the most important native forage for livestock, and is eaten by deer, elk, antelope. (USDA Plant Database).
Prairie grasses and perennials can grow roots of up to 15 ft long, an adaptation of plants in search of water in drought ridden prairie and savannah conditions. Side oats grama has roots of up to 8 feet. (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources).
Some upland game birds, and song birds feed on Bouteloua species, however no records are known for this species. (Illinois Wildflowers)
Garden Uses: This bunchgrass with attractive oatlike seeds that droop on the stem and rustle in the breeze. It grows in sun or partial shade. A bluish green in summer, it turns gold in the fall. It's drought tolerant and easy to start from seed. (Johnson, L., The new Ontario Naturalized Garden, 1999) The seeds are pendulous on the stem and hang like the serrated edge of a saw. (Evergreen) This smaller grass has delicate flowers, and is fairly small, working well with smaller plants such as columbine, Canada loosestrife, long headed thimbleweed in a variety of soil types (Evergreen)
Insect Relationships: Leafhoppers, Flexamia pectinata and Laevicephalus minimus are specialized to eat only side oats grama. Important food for many grasshoppers. Stinkbugs Moromorpha tetra and Mecidea major. (Illinois Wildflowers)
It prefers sandy soil that is not too loose and clay soil that is not too dense. (Wild Flower Centre)
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