Bouteloua Gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition’ Plant Care

What can we say except having a chuckle about the outdoor plant that is grass for ornamental display? Now the giggle is where botanists came onto this name blonde ambition. But we are sure we will find out.

Still, if you’re into flower decorations, you will find the Blue Grama something to tickle your fancy. The grass has a fine texture with softness. It displays a swarm of seedheads and looks excellent in the garden in massing.

Where Does This Ornamental Grass Come From

The Bouteloua gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition (giggle) Sorry have to smile at the name is a natural beauty for grass. On the other hand, we must agree that the native Blue Grama grass has a loveliness of its own. The horizontal seed does resemble petite flags.

This superstar transforms to blonde, giving it its name, now for why it is called the Blond Ambition. The blooms have a blue-green tint at the top of a two-foot stem. While not a rare plant, the grass rewarded growing in low water conditions.

Further, it is resistant to pests and appeals to retail with a long-lasting beauty in containers and gardens. The blue-green foliage is a bombshell popping back up after a snowfall and was discovered by the owner of High Country Gardens, David Salman.

The Blue Grama grass originates from South and North America. When in full flower, it only grows to 14 inches and is one of the shortest native grasses. It turns a tan color when dormant, and you find them growing in the south in bunches.

Still, it grows as a clod in the north and works well mixed with other grasslands. Unfortunately, many people confuse the Blonde Ambition with the Hairy Grama Grass with a sharp point. Another species causing confusion is the Buffalograss that grows six inches high.

The grass you find in dry short-grass regions. For example, you can plant the Blue Grama as turfgrass mixed with the Buffalograss.

Native Blue Grama Grass Care

Great, now that we know where the Blue Grama grass comes from, let’s look at how you can care for this outdoor plant.

_{Recommended Potting Mix}

The ornamental grass looks gorgeous outside, but you can grow it in different soil types as an indoor plant. The grass is easy to care for, but it needs well-drained soil.

The Blonde Ambition Blue Grama even looks great in rock gardens. You can grow them in any well-drained soil. Once your plant establishes it thrives and is drought tolerant.

When you plant mosquito grass, you can add compost to help amend the soil.

_{Lighting Needs to Retain The Blue-Green Foliage}

These ornamental grasses need full sun, whether grown in a container or a garden. The grass needs six-hour of direct sunlight. One thing is sure this prairie native plant with its horizontally held yellow seedheads will add drama to your patio or sunny garden from mid to late summer.

Even when it does not bloom, those blue-green upright weather-resistant stems will color up your landscape. Still, the grass can stand in the sun, is very drought tolerant, and looks great as an accent or mass plant.

_{High Country Gardens Watering Needs for Blonde Ambition}

Blue Grama grass is a native ornamental grass with a blue foliage shade. It is both drought tolerant and cold hardy. So when mid-summer arrives, it only needs water occasionally.

The best is to allow the soil to dry out in the warm season. The essential thing is that the sand should not be poorly drained and free-flowing for the water.

Another fascinating thing is it provides exceptional winter interest as a perennial as the stems pop back up after heavy snowstorms.

_{Ideal Temperature & Humidity}

The Blonde Ambition grows in 26 states while performing well in the country. So, if you live in hardiness zone four to nine, you can grow this preferential to provide long-lasting attractiveness to your indoor and outdoor space.

_{Does Bouteloua Gracilis Blue Grama Grass Need Feeding?}

The Gracilis plant is a sturdy cultivar but not a heavy feeder. So, the best is to avoid feeding your blonde bombshell with nitrogen fertilizers.

Instead, you can apply an organic slow-release fertilizer mixed with compost from mid to late fall.

We recommend a topdress around the clumps and scratching it into the ground to achieve the best results.

_{Propagation and Pruning Grass Blue Grama}

The best time to plant Grama grass is spring, summer, and fall. The Grama grasses you can cut back to a height of two to four inches in mid-spring. Then, using gloved hands with a three-tine hand cultivator, you can scratch the interior out of the clump. Doing this helps remove the thatch to make room for growth.

Further, you can divide your Blue Grama grass Bouteloua every three to five years in spring. Doing this helps remove the new growth as you dig out the clumps with a root ball. Then you cut the mass into squares to remove the dead roots.

Place the fresh organic matter in the holes to replant your quarter-sized clumps.

What Can You Plant with Bouteloua Gracilis

You can place it with these perennial companions when you have the Blue Grama grass Bouteloua as an indoor plant or outdoor plant.

_{Hummingbird Mint}

The Hyssop is another showy yet fragrant blooming perennial that attracts hummingbirds. The outdoor plant has reddish-pink flowers with orange in summer and early fall.

The fantastic thing is this plant is aromatic and grows tall. Like the Blonde Ambition, it thrives in full sun with well-draining soil.

Aster

Bring color to your garden or indoor plants by placing the Aster with your Blonde Ambition for a pop of color. The daily-like perennial blooms starry-shaped flowers in different hues from blue, and purple, to white.

In summer and autumn, they brighten up the landscape with blooms. The two most common Asters you find are the New York Aster and New England Aster. The flower attracts butterflies and bees to the garden.

_{French Hybrid Lavender}

Nothing makes it stand out more than the French hybrid lavender when you grow your Blonde Ambition as an outdoor plant. The outdoor plant works well in small landscaping and blooms in mid-summer.

The tapered heads have a darkish indigo-blue calyx with aromatic lavender flowers. The blooms smell sweet with a long-lasting fragrance. As with the Blonde Ambition, it thrives in full sun. The flowers re-bloom and do not go deadhead until fall.

_{Butterfly Weed}

Okay, gardeners, this is not a weed, but you need a green thumb to grow them. The best part is the plant can grow anywhere up to two feet tall. It has glossy green leaves with bright orange-to-yellow clusters of flowers.

The fascinating thing is this plant has a long history of medicinal properties. For example, people chewed on the roots for pulmonary and pleurisy concerns. You can even brew tea to treat diarrhea and stomach ailments.

_{Bouteloua Gracilis Plant Diseases & Pests}

The fantastic thing is this grass is deer-native compared to other grasses. Still, even better is that you do not have any concerns with pests and diseases.

The only problem you may have is overwatering it, leading to root rot. Another concern is aphids which are sap-sucking insects that can cause harm to the leaves.