Buffalograss
- Botanical Name: Buchloe dactyloides
- Plant Type: Turf Grass
- Light Requirement: Full Sun
- Water Demand: Low
- Ornamental Color: Flowering Spikelets Yellowish Green
- Native or Adapted: Native
- Wildlife Value: Birds, Butterflies
- Season: Summer, Fall
- Deciduous or Evergreen: Deciduous
- Plant Form: Turf
- Region: North Central Texas
- Plant Spread: 1' - 2'
- Plant Height: 0' - 1'
Description
This native grass is the most drought-tolerant turf available. It prospers on much less water than St. Augustine, with some estimating that it requires only half the water required by St. Augustine. Buffalograss requires full sun and will not tolerate shade. It will also not tolerate excessive foot traffic. It does best when mowed infrequently and is kept at about 5 inches tall. It prefers clay soils and will decline if it's overwatered. Very cold tolerant, it turns a soft golden brown when it goes dormant. It can be started from seed or sod/plugs.
Available seeded varieties for North Central Texas are 'Common,' 'Topgun,' 'Comanche,' 'Texoka,' 'Plains,' 'Tahoka,' and blends of two or more seeds. The grass can be difficult to establish from seed, as germination rate from seed is often low. Hybrid varieties to consider that are started vegetatively (sod and/or plugs) are '609,' 'Prairie,' and 'Turffalo.' The vegetatively started selections do not exhibit flowering spikelets and are more uniform in appearance.
Buffalograss Photos
