Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Blonde Ambition
Blonde Ambition is a popular selection of blue grama, a native bunchgrass, grown for its unusual flowers. Chartreuse, eyelash-like flower spikes stick out sideways above the fine leaves and ripen to blonde seed heads. It grows fast to about 2 feet tall on little water, and it is a favorite ornamental grass for the Phoenix area.
Best for: fine texture and eyelash seed heads in desert beds, groups of accent grasses, rock gardens and meadow-style plantings.
Chartreuse, eyelash-like flower spikes stick out sideways above the leaves and ripen to blonde seed heads through the warm season.
It is best planted in groups as a fine-textured accent in rock gardens and desert beds.
It suits meadow-style and natural plantings, where its seed heads catch the light.
It goes dormant and brown in winter. Avoid summer afternoon sun off west-facing walls.
- Mass planting2 ft apart
- Looser planting3 ft apart
Water regularly while it roots in. Once rooted, soak it every 1 to 2 weeks in summer and give little or no water in winter.
Shear it once a year in late winter to clear old leaves before new growth.
Plant it in full sun, but away from hot summer afternoon sun off west-facing walls.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How big does Blonde Ambition get?
Blue grama grows about 2 feet tall, with flower stems rising above the leaves.
Does it stay green in winter?
No. It goes dormant and turns tan to brown in winter, then greens up in spring.
How often should I water it in summer?
Water deeply every 1 to 2 weeks in summer to keep it looking good. It needs little or no extra water in winter.
When should I cut it back?
Shear it once a year in late winter, before new growth starts.
Does it need full sun?
Yes, give it full sun. Avoid spots that get hot summer afternoon sun off a west-facing wall.
Is blue grama native to Arizona?
Yes. Blue grama grows wild in Arizona above about 3,500 feet and across much of North America.
How fast does it grow?
It grows fast and fills in its first season.
Is it cold hardy?
Yes. It is rated to about -30°F.
Can Blonde Ambition bother allergies?
Yes. Its pollen can bother people with allergies.
When does Blonde Ambition flower?
It flowers in summer. The eyelash-like spikes start chartreuse and dry to blonde seed heads.
Blonde Ambition for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Blonde Ambition is a selection of blue grama grass with chartreuse, eyelash-like flowers that turn blonde. Below: size, water, winter dormancy, cutting back and placement.
Sourced from trusted Arizona growers and delivered directly to your door, job site, or property. We deliver across the Valley and to nearby towns, and quote delivery anywhere else in Arizona.
Blonde Ambition grass in Phoenix
A popular blue grama selection for the Phoenix area, with eyelash-like flowers that turn blonde.
Watering Blonde Ambition
Water deeply every 1 to 2 weeks in summer, and little in winter.
When to cut back Blonde Ambition
Shear it once a year in late winter.
Does Blonde Ambition go dormant?
Yes, it turns tan in winter and greens up in spring.
Blonde Ambition vs blue grama
It is a selection of native blue grama chosen for its showy eyelash seed heads.
Blonde Ambition placement
Full sun, but not against a hot west-facing wall.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.