Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Sideoats Grama
Sideoats Grama is a native bunchgrass with narrow green leaves and tall stems that carry pink to purple flowers in late spring and summer. The seeds hang along one side of each stem, which gives the grass its name and its look. It grows quickly to about 2 to 3 feet tall, takes heat and drought, and needs little water once rooted. Use it as an accent, in a rock garden or in a native planting.
Best for: accent clumps, rock gardens, native and wildlife plantings, and low-water beds in full sun or light shade.
It grows about 2 to 3 feet tall but stays fairly narrow, about 1 to 2 feet wide. The seed stems with seeds hanging off one side give it a distinct look among boulders.
Set plants about 3 to 4 feet apart in a rock garden or native planting. It grows quickly and fills its spot within a season.
Birds and butterflies use it, and it feeds the caterpillars of a native moth.
The leaves turn tan in winter, so it looks dormant until spring growth starts. It needs soil that drains and does not like ground that stays wet.
- Mass or meadow planting3 ft apart, center to center
- Looser accent planting4 ft apart, center to center
Water a new plant regularly while it gets rooted. New grasses need extra water for their first year or two, then far less.
Once rooted it gets by on little water. Some extra water in summer keeps it fuller and healthier.
Cut it back once a year in late winter or early spring, down to a few inches. If it gets too large or open, a hard cutback renews it.
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 sideoats grama get?
It grows about 2 to 3 feet tall and about 1 to 2 feet wide. It grows quickly, so it reaches that size fast.
How far apart should I plant sideoats grama?
Plant it about 3 to 4 feet apart. The Spacing tab on this page counts plants for your bed.
Why is it called sideoats grama?
The seeds hang along one side of each stiff stem, like oats on one side. The flowers on those stems are pink to purple in late spring and summer.
How much water does sideoats grama need?
It needs little water once rooted and takes heat and drought. It looks fuller and healthier with some extra water in summer.
Does sideoats grama stay green in winter?
No, the narrow green leaves turn tan in winter. New growth comes back in spring.
When should I cut back sideoats grama?
Cut it back once a year in late winter or early spring, before new growth. If it gets too large or open, it takes a hard cutback.
Is sideoats grama native to Arizona?
Yes. It grows wild across the region, from the dry desert up into pine forests, and across the prairies of North America.
Does sideoats grama attract wildlife?
Yes. Birds and butterflies use it, and it is a food plant for the caterpillars of a native moth.
How cold hardy is sideoats grama?
It is rated to about -30°F. Its leaves turn tan in the cold, and it regrows in spring.
What soil does sideoats grama need?
It grows in sand, loam or clay, acid to alkaline, as long as the soil drains. Rocky, dry soil suits it.
Can sideoats grama bother allergies?
Yes. Its pollen can bother people with allergies, so keep that in mind before planting it by a window or patio.
Sideoats Grama for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Sideoats Grama is a native grass that grows from the desert up into pine country. It grows fast, flowers in the warm season and lives on little water. Below is what to expect in a Valley yard, from spacing and water to winter color, trimming and wildlife.
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.
Sideoats grama in Phoenix
Sideoats grama is a native bunchgrass for full sun or light shade. It takes heat and drought and needs little water once rooted.
How far apart to plant sideoats grama
Space plants about 3 to 4 feet apart. Each grows about 2 to 3 feet tall and 1 to 2 feet wide.
Sideoats grama vs blue grama
Both are native grama grasses. Sideoats grama grows taller and narrower, with seeds hanging off one side of each stem.
Is sideoats grama native to Arizona?
Yes, it grows wild from the dry desert into pine forests across the region. It is also a prairie grass across North America.
Cutting back sideoats grama
Cut it back once a year in late winter or early spring, before new growth starts. A hard cutback renews a plant that has grown too large or open.
Watering sideoats grama
Water it regularly while it gets rooted. After that it needs little water, and extra summer water keeps it fuller.
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.