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Plant Guide

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Bouteloua eriopoda (Torr.) Torr.
black grama
BOER4

Summary

Duration

Perennial

Growth Habit

Graminoid

U.S. Nativity

Native to U.S.

Federal T/E Status

 

National Wetland Indicator

 

 

Morphology/Physiology

Active Growth Period

Summer and Fall

After Harvest Regrowth Rate

Moderate

Bloat

None

C:N Ratio

Medium

Coppice Potential

No

Fall Conspicuous

No

Fire Resistant

No

Flower Color

Yellow

Flower Conspicuous

No

Foliage Color

Green

Foliage Porosity Summer

Porous

Foliage Porosity Winter

Porous

Foliage Texture

Fine

Fruit/Seed Color

Brown

Fruit/Seed Conspicuous

No

Growth Form

Stoloniferous

Growth Rate

Moderate

Height at 20 Years, Maximum (feet)

 

Height, Mature (feet)

2

Known Allelopath

No

Leaf Retention

No

Lifespan

Moderate

Low Growing Grass

No

Nitrogen Fixation

 

Resprout Ability

No

Shape and Orientation

Decumbent

Toxicity

None

 

Growth Requirements

Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils

Yes

Adapted to Fine Textured Soils

No

Adapted to Medium Textured Soils

Yes

Anaerobic Tolerance

None

CaCO3 Tolerance

Medium

Cold Stratification Required

No

Drought Tolerance

High

Fertility Requirement

Medium

Fire Tolerance

High

Frost Free Days, Minimum

155

Hedge Tolerance

None

Moisture Use

Low

pH, Minimum

7

pH, Maximum

8.7

Planting Density per Acre, Minimum

 

Planting Density per Acre, Maximum

 

Precipitation, Minimum

7

Precipitation, Maximum

19

Root Depth, Minimum (inches)

12

Salinity Tolerance

Low

Shade Tolerance

Intolerant

Temperature, Minimum (°F)

-23

 

Reproduction

Bloom Period

Mid Spring

Commercial Availability

Routinely Available

Fruit/Seed Abundance

High

Fruit/Seed Period Begin

Summer

Fruit/Seed Period End

Fall

Fruit/Seed Persistence

No

Propagated by Bare Root

No

Propagated by Bulb

No

Propagated by Container

No

Propagated by Corm

No

Propagated by Cuttings

No

Propagated by Seed

Yes

Propagated by Sod

No

Propagated by Sprigs

No

Propagated by Tubers

No

Seed per Pound

1335000

Seed Spread Rate

Slow

Seedling Vigor

Medium

Small Grain

No

Vegetative Spread Rate

Moderate

 

Suitability/Use

Berry/Nut/Seed Product

No

Christmas Tree Product

No

Fodder Product

Yes

Fuelwood Product

None

Lumber Product

No

Naval Store Product

No

Nursery Stock Product

No

Palatable Browse Animal

High

Palatable Graze Animal

High

Palatable Human

No

Post Product

No

Protein Potential

Medium

Pulpwood Product

No

Veneer Product

No

 

Bouteloua eriopoda (Torr.) Torr.
black grama
BOER4
Cultivar: Nogal

Summary

Duration

Perennial

Growth Habit

Graminoid

U.S. Nativity

Native to U.S.

Federal T/E Status

 

National Wetland Indicator

 

 

Morphology/Physiology

Active Growth Period

Spring and Fall

After Harvest Regrowth Rate

Moderate

Bloat

None

C:N Ratio

Medium

Coppice Potential

No

Fall Conspicuous

No

Fire Resistant

No

Flower Color

Yellow

Flower Conspicuous

No

Foliage Color

Green

Foliage Porosity Summer

Porous

Foliage Porosity Winter

Porous

Foliage Texture

Fine

Fruit/Seed Color

Brown

Fruit/Seed Conspicuous

No

Growth Form

Stoloniferous

Growth Rate

Moderate

Height at 20 Years, Maximum (feet)

 

Height, Mature (feet)

2

Known Allelopath

No

Leaf Retention

No

Lifespan

Moderate

Low Growing Grass

No

Nitrogen Fixation

 

Resprout Ability

No

Shape and Orientation

Decumbent

Toxicity

None

 

Growth Requirements

Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils

Yes

Adapted to Fine Textured Soils

No

Adapted to Medium Textured Soils

Yes

Anaerobic Tolerance

None

CaCO3 Tolerance

Medium

Cold Stratification Required

No

Drought Tolerance

High

Fertility Requirement

Medium

Fire Tolerance

High

Frost Free Days, Minimum

160

Hedge Tolerance

None

Moisture Use

Medium

pH, Minimum

7

pH, Maximum

8.3

Planting Density per Acre, Minimum

 

Planting Density per Acre, Maximum

 

Precipitation, Minimum

7

Precipitation, Maximum

18

Root Depth, Minimum (inches)

12

Salinity Tolerance

Low

Shade Tolerance

Intolerant

Temperature, Minimum (°F)

-23

 

Reproduction

Bloom Period

Mid Spring

Commercial Availability

Routinely Available

Fruit/Seed Abundance

High

Fruit/Seed Period Begin

Summer

Fruit/Seed Period End

Fall

Fruit/Seed Persistence

No

Propagated by Bare Root

No

Propagated by Bulb

No

Propagated by Container

No

Propagated by Corm

No

Propagated by Cuttings

No

Propagated by Seed

Yes

Propagated by Sod

No

Propagated by Sprigs

No

Propagated by Tubers

No

Seed per Pound

1335000

Seed Spread Rate

Slow

Seedling Vigor

High

Small Grain

No

Vegetative Spread Rate

Rapid

 

Suitability/Use

Berry/Nut/Seed Product

No

Christmas Tree Product

No

Fodder Product

Yes

Fuelwood Product

None

Lumber Product

No

Naval Store Product

No

Nursery Stock Product

No

Palatable Browse Animal

High

Palatable Graze Animal

High

Palatable Human

No

Post Product

No

Protein Potential

Medium

Pulpwood Product

No

Veneer Product

No

 

Bouteloua eriopoda (Torr.) Torr.
black grama
BOER4
Cultivar: Sonora

Summary

Duration

Perennial

Growth Habit

Graminoid

U.S. Nativity

Native to U.S.

Federal T/E Status

 

National Wetland Indicator

 

 

Morphology/Physiology

Active Growth Period

Summer and Fall

After Harvest Regrowth Rate

Moderate

Bloat

None

C:N Ratio

Medium

Coppice Potential

No

Fall Conspicuous

No

Fire Resistant

No

Flower Color

Yellow

Flower Conspicuous

No

Foliage Color

Green

Foliage Porosity Summer

Moderate

Foliage Porosity Winter

Porous

Foliage Texture

Fine

Fruit/Seed Color

Brown

Fruit/Seed Conspicuous

No

Growth Form

Stoloniferous

Growth Rate

Moderate

Height at 20 Years, Maximum (feet)

 

Height, Mature (feet)

2

Known Allelopath

No

Leaf Retention

No

Lifespan

Moderate

Low Growing Grass

No

Nitrogen Fixation

 

Resprout Ability

No

Shape and Orientation

Decumbent

Toxicity

None

 

Growth Requirements

Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils

Yes

Adapted to Fine Textured Soils

No

Adapted to Medium Textured Soils

Yes

Anaerobic Tolerance

None

CaCO3 Tolerance

Medium

Cold Stratification Required

No

Drought Tolerance

High

Fertility Requirement

Medium

Fire Tolerance

High

Frost Free Days, Minimum

155

Hedge Tolerance

None

Moisture Use

Medium

pH, Minimum

7

pH, Maximum

8.3

Planting Density per Acre, Minimum

 

Planting Density per Acre, Maximum

 

Precipitation, Minimum

7

Precipitation, Maximum

18

Root Depth, Minimum (inches)

12

Salinity Tolerance

Low

Shade Tolerance

Intolerant

Temperature, Minimum (°F)

-23

 

Reproduction

Bloom Period

Mid Summer

Commercial Availability

Routinely Available

Fruit/Seed Abundance

High

Fruit/Seed Period Begin

Summer

Fruit/Seed Period End

Fall

Fruit/Seed Persistence

No

Propagated by Bare Root

No

Propagated by Bulb

No

Propagated by Container

No

Propagated by Corm

No

Propagated by Cuttings

No

Propagated by Seed

Yes

Propagated by Sod

No

Propagated by Sprigs

No

Propagated by Tubers

No

Seed per Pound

1335000

Seed Spread Rate

Slow

Seedling Vigor

Medium

Small Grain

No

Vegetative Spread Rate

Rapid

 

Suitability/Use

Berry/Nut/Seed Product

No

Christmas Tree Product

No

Fodder Product

Yes

Fuelwood Product

None

Lumber Product

No

Naval Store Product

No

Nursery Stock Product

No

Palatable Browse Animal

High

Palatable Graze Animal

High

Palatable Human

No

Post Product

No

Protein Potential

Medium

Pulpwood Product

No

Veneer Product

No

 

Kingdom  Plantae -- Plants

Subkingdom  Tracheobionta -- Vascular plants

Superdivision  Spermatophyta -- Seed plants

Division  Magnoliophyta -- Flowering plants

Class  Liliopsida -- Monocotyledons

Subclass  Commelinidae

Order  Cyperales

Family  Poaceae -- Grass family

Genus  Bouteloua Lag. -- grama P

Species  Bouteloua eriopoda (Torr.) Torr. -- black grama P

 

Alternate Names

woollyfoot grama, hairyfoot grama, navajita negra

 

Uses

Black grama is a choice forage grass grazed by all livestock.  It is cut for hay on some ranges in wet seasons.

 

Status

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status, such as, state noxious status and wetland indicator values.

 

Description

Grass Family (Poaceae).  Black grama is a native, warm‑season, stoloniferous perennial grass.  The height is between 10 and 20 inches.  The leaf blade is narrow and rolls inward during dry periods, giving it a threadlike appearance.  The leaf sheath is short and clasps the stem tightly.  The ligule is a ring of short hairs.  The stem is solid, the lower half of the internodes woolly, and the upper half smooth.  The seedhead is 3 to 8 spikes per seedhead and 18 to 20 spikelets per spike.

 

Distribution: For current distribution, please consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site.

 

Management

Overgrazing easily kills this grass.  To improve black grama ranges, defer grazing two successive years during the growing season and do not graze more than 50 percent of current growth by weight during dormancy.  To maintain ranges, defer grazing for one growing season every third year.

 

Establishment

During mild winters and with adequate moisture, lower stems stay green all winter.  New leaves grow from buds at nodes on stolons and from auxillary buds at basal nodes.  The seeding habits are not dependable.  In some years, when a good seed crop is produced, seed viability is low.  It reproduces primarily from stolons.  A healthy plant generally produces 6 to 9 stolons.  Two favorable successive growing seasons are required for reproduction by stolons: First year, to produce stolons; second year, for stolons to take root and establish new plants.  It generally grows in pure stands.  It grows mostly on dry gravelly or sandy soils and seldom grows on clay loams or adobe (clay) flats.  Black grama is characteristically a lower altitude grass (3,500 to 5,500 feet elevation), but occasionally grows at elevations of 7,000 feet.

 

Cultivars, Improved and Selected Materials (and area of origin)

Please contact your local NRCS Field Office.

 

Reference

Leithead, H.L., L.L. Yarlett, & T.N. Shiflett. 1976. 100 native forage grasses in 11 southern states. USDA SCS Agriculture Handbook No. 389, Washington, DC.

 

Prepared By & Species Coordinator:

Percy Magee, USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

 

Edited: 13may02 ahv; jul03 ahv; 20sep05 jsp; 070116 jsp

 

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS Web site<https://plants.usda.gov> or the Plant Materials Program Web site <https://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov>


 

 

 

Attribution:  U.S. Department of Agriculture 

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