Last time, I wrote about the concept of creating a lawn that uses a lower amount of water than traditional grasses as part of xeriscaping your yard. If you like the idea, consider using native grasses that grow easily in your area with little need for irrigation, fertilization, or any chemical treatments.

Native grasses are not interchangeable. The native grass you’ll choose if you live in a Nantucket cottage versus a ranch home in the Colorado mountains versus a tri-level in the Texas panhandle will be different in most cases. One of the most common native grasses used in naturalistic landscaping, especially here in the Western United States, is buffalo grass.

Great Xeriscaping Choice for the Western U.S.

Buffalo grass is a native grass that has lower water needs than typical lawns, requiring only a few inches of water a month even during hot weather. You probably won’t be surprised to know that the grass got its name from being the primary food for buffalo throughout the Great Plains and Texas.

A warm season grass, it will go dormant and brown in the winter months and then grow in green again in the spring. Buffalo grass has soft blades and, like most native grasses, does not have to be mowed unless you enjoy a highly manicured look. Depending on the variety, buffalo grass blades grow naturally to around 6 inches tall. One benefit of buffalo grass and other native grasses is the natural resistance it has developed to disease and pests.

Take a close look at buffalo grass for landscapes that are:

• Low traffic areas
• Low rainfall areas (15 to 30 inches yearly)
• Low maintenance areas
• Sunny and bright, with little shade

In addition to growing buffalo grass as a lawn, you could get really crazy and spread native perennial wildflowers and xeric naturalized bulbs throughout the grass for a beautiful wildflower meadow.

More information on xeriscape lawn options next time… stay tuned.