‘Blonde Ambition’ Blue Grama Grass near Fort Collins, Colorado

Seed heads

Looking for something a little different, plant Blonde Ambition® blue grama grass (Bouteloua gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition’). It was discovered and introduced by David Salman of High Country Gardens. This prairie species is native from Manitoba Canada, south through the Rocky Mountains, Great Plains, and Midwestern states, to Mexico. It is exceptionally heat and cold hardy and recovers rapidly following a heavy snow cover (USDA hardiness zones 3 – 9).

The fine-textured gray-green leaf blades (to 1/4 inch wide) typically form a dense clump growing 18 to 24 inches tall. Foliage turns golden brown in late autumn, at times taking on an orange and reddish hues.

Blonde Ambition is unlike any other ornamental grass in cultivation. In early summer its unique eyelash-like chartreuse flowers stand like tiny horizontal flags on stems that rise a foot or more above the foliage. The chartreuse flower color ages to blond, so different compared to the dark purplish flowers of the species. The long lasting blonde seed heads  stay fastened to wiry blue-green stems and poke through after a heavy snow.

Plant in full sun in most any soil, acidic or alkaline, as long as it is well-drained. Initially, irrigate a new plants so it fills in faster.  It tolerates poor soil and is highly drought resistant. Lightly fertilize with 10-10-10 or equivalent in early spring, although this tough grass will cope with low fertility. Start off by mowing off the planting in the early days of spring. Diseases or pests are non-existent and deer and most other four-legged browsers of vegetation stay away.

Blonde Ambition was a 2011 Plant Select winner. It is primarily available from e-commerce native plant nurseries.