Blue Grama 'Blonde Ambition' (Bouteloua gracilis 'Blonde Ambition') is a popular cultivated selection of the California native ornamental grass, especially in areas where its heat- and drought-tolerance are appreciated.
Blue Grama and the 'Blonde Ambition' cultivar are easily recognizable, with playful flower spikes/seed heads attached at 90-degree angles, resembling tiny pennants.
Blue Grama (Bouteloua gracilis) is a long-lived warm-season perennial native grass that is widespread across much of North America.
This ornamental grass is adaptable to many topographies and soil types thanks to its deep roots, which reach 3 to 6 feet into the soil.
Blue Grama 'Blonde Ambition' is among the most popular California native grasses, used in a number of garden styles and applications, including as a meadow grass and as a garden accent.
It is drought tolerant, but it looks its best with regular garden water through the summer growing season. It prefers full sun near the coast, and sun or part shade farther inland, where it may need more frequent watering, especially during hotter periods.
Beyond the garden, Blue Grama 'Blonde Ambition' is attractive in patio containers, either on its own or with flowering companions.
Bouteloua gracilis 'Blonde Ambition' - Blonde Ambition Blue Grama Grass
Optimal Growth Conditions
- Mature Height: 1 - 3 feet
- Mature Width: 1 - 3 feet
- Sun: Full Sun
- Water: Low, Moderate
- Soil Drainage: Fast, Medium
Geographic Appropriateness
- USDA Zone: Zones 7 - 10
- Sunset Zone: Zones 1 - 3, 7 - 11, 14, 18 - 24
- Native Sites: Blue Grama 'Blonde Ambition' is a horticultural selection of B. gracilis, which grows in many topographic positions including prairies, plains, rocky slopes, and open rocky woodlands at lower elevations.
Additional Landscaping Information
- Characteristics: California Native, Drought Tolerant, Deer Resistant, Ornamental, Warm-Season Grass
- Special Uses: Containers, Groundcover, Lawn Alternative