Bouteloua gracilis 'Bad River'

Bouteloua gracilis 'Bad River' is a fine textured ornamental grass with slender blue green foliage and distinctive eyebrow shaped seed heads that emerge above the clumps in summer. This drought tolerant prairie grass brings understated texture to sunny landscapes while providing valuable seeds and cover for wildlife.

Height & Spread: 10 - 25 in x 12 - 24 in

Bloom Time: Late spring to summer

Light Requirements: Full sun

Soil Preference: Well drained sandy to loamy soil; tolerates poor and dry conditions

Watering Needs: Low; highly drought tolerant once established

Deer Resistance: Generally resistant to deer browsing once established

Native Status

This selection is an ecotype of blue grama grass, a perennial native to the Great Plains and other regions of central and western North America. 'Bad River' originated from native plants collected in central South Dakota and was selected for its vigor and usefulness in prairie restoration and low maintenance landscapes.

WILDLIFE & INSECTS

Birds

• Produces small seeds that provide food for finches, sparrows, longspurs, and other seed eating grassland birds while its clumping growth offers shelter and cover.

Butterflies

• Serves as a host plant for the Green Skipper butterfly and supports the life cycle of this grassland species.

Small Mammals

• Provides seeds and protective cover for small wildlife such as pocket mice and other grassland mammals.

Spacing & Landscape Use

Spacing Recommendations

• Space 12 - 24 in apart to allow individual clumps to develop while creating a natural prairie effect when planted in groups.

Landscape Placement

• Well suited to prairie gardens, rock gardens, sunny borders, and drought tolerant plantings where its unusual seed heads and fine foliage add texture without requiring frequent watering.

Companion Plants

• Achillea millefolium (Common Yarrow) - Adds flat clusters of flowers that attract pollinators and contrast with the grass's slender seed heads.
• Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed) - Brings vivid orange summer flowers and valuable habitat for Monarch butterflies.
• Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower) - Adds bold summer blooms and seed heads that provide seasonal interest and wildlife value.
• Schizachyrium scoparium (Little Bluestem) - Creates a complementary prairie planting with upright foliage and rich copper tones in fall.
• Solidago rugosa 'Fireworks' (Rough Goldenrod) - Extends the garden's seasonal color with arching golden blooms that attract late season pollinators.