Turf · Sonoran native
Buffalo grass
Bouteloua dactyloides · Poaceae
Also called: Buffalograss, Buchloe dactyloides (former name)
Buffalo grass (Bouteloua dactyloides) is a very low-water turf native to the Sonoran Desert region well suited to Tucson and the low desert. It thrives in full sun. Expect tan/cream seedheads blooms late spring through summer.
Buffalo grass at a glance
- Water use
- Very Low (established)
- Sun
- Full sun; performs poorly in shade
- Mature size
- Low turf, naturally 3-6 in tall; can be left unmowed as a meadow or mowed to 2-3 in. Spreads by stolons
- Growth rate
- Moderate; spreads by stolons to form a low, fine-textured sod
- Bloom
- Tan/cream seedheads, Late spring through summer; dioecious with distinctive flag-like male seedheads held above the foliage
- Cold hardiness
- Very cold- and heat-hardy warm-season native grass; goes dormant (tan/straw) with frost and in winter, greening in spring. Well-suited to 9a-9b
- Soil
- Prefers heavier (clay/loam) native soils and tolerates Tucson's alkaline soils; needs good drainage. Less vigorous on pure sand. No soil amendment generally required
- Native range
- North American Great Plains; native to Arizona and the broader Southwest/Sonoran Desert region
- Best used as
- Low-water lawn turf, Native/meadow lawns, Erosion control, Low-traffic recreation areas
- Wildlife
- Native grass with good wildlife/habitat value; supports pollinators and provides forage/cover; larval host value for some butterflies/skippers
- Toxicity
- Non-toxic to pets and children
How to grow Buffalo grass in Tucson & the low desert
Watering
Very drought-tolerant once established — water deeply and infrequently (about 1 in every 2-4 weeks in peak summer is often enough to keep it green; it survives on less and simply goes dormant/tan when dry). Overwatering causes weed invasion and thinning. One of the lowest-water turf options for Tucson.
Fertilizer & nutrients
Very low feeder; over-fertilizing invites weeds. Apply only about 1-2 lb actual nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft per year (often a single late-spring application of slow-release N is sufficient). Chelated iron corrects chlorosis in alkaline soil if needed.
Pruning & care
Low-maintenance — can be left unmowed for a soft, informal look or mowed occasionally to 2-3 in. Minimal thatch; no dethatching usually needed.
Notes
A Sonoran/Southwest-native warm-season grass and the most water-thrifty true turf option for Tucson. Goes winter-dormant (tan). Best for full sun and light foot traffic; it thins under heavy traffic and in shade, and can be out-competed by bermudagrass and weeds if overwatered or overfertilized. Improved cultivars (e.g., 'UC Verde', a low-desert-adapted selection from UC/U of A work) green up better and hold density in the low desert. Excellent low-input, sustainable lawn alternative.
Sources: University of Arizona Cooperative Extension (low-water turf / native grasses); Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum; AMWUA Landscape Plants for the Arizona Desert; USDA Forest Service FEIS (Bouteloua dactyloides)