Plant Guide

Bothriochloa saccharoides (Sw.) Rydb.
silver bluestem
BOSA

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
After Harvest Regrowth Rate	Moderate
Bloat	None
C:N Ratio
Coppice Potential	No
Fall Conspicuous	Yes
Fire Resistant	Yes
Flower Color
Flower Conspicuous	Yes
Foliage Color	Green
Foliage Porosity Summer	Porous
Foliage Porosity Winter	Porous
Foliage Texture	Fine
Fruit/Seed Color	Brown
Fruit/Seed Conspicuous	No
Growth Form	Bunch
Growth Rate	Moderate
Height at 20 Years, Maximum (feet)
Height, Mature (feet)	2
Known Allelopath	No
Leaf Retention	No
Lifespan	Short
Low Growing Grass	Yes
Nitrogen Fixation
Resprout Ability	No
Shape and Orientation	Semi-Erect
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	Low
Fire Tolerance	High
Frost Free Days, Minimum	140
Hedge Tolerance
Moisture Use	Medium
pH, Minimum	6.5
pH, Maximum	7.2
Planting Density per Acre, Minimum
Planting Density per Acre, Maximum
Precipitation, Minimum	10
Precipitation, Maximum	48
Root Depth, Minimum (inches)	12
Salinity Tolerance	Low
Shade Tolerance	Intolerant
Temperature, Minimum (°F)	-23

Reproduction
Bloom Period	Summer
Commercial Availability	Contracting Only
Fruit/Seed Abundance	Medium
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	80000
Seed Spread Rate	Moderate
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	Low
Palatable Graze Animal	Low
Palatable Human	No
Post Product	No
Protein Potential	Low
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 Bothriochloa Kuntze -- beardgrass P

Species Bothriochloa saccharoides (Sw.) Rydb. -- silver bluestem P

Alternate Name

Andropogon saccharoides

Uses

Silver bluestem is used primarily for grazing. Cattle graze it a few weeks in the spring, but little after the seedheads form. It can be grazed some during the winter if livestock are fed a protein supplement. Goats relish the seedheads when seed is in the dough stage. This grass is usually not seeded nor managed to control erosion on critical areas, but established itself readily on denuded soils and overgrazed ranges.

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). Silver bluestem is a native, warm‑season, short‑lived perennial bunch grass. The height is between 2 to 3 feet. The leaf blade is 2 to 8 inches long. The stems are round at the base, but sometimes branching at nodes. The lower part is purplish throughout the growing season and usually has a ring of white hairs at the nodes. Stems turn irregularly at each node. The seedhead is a raceme that is silky white soon after it emerges from the sheath.

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

Management

It is cut for hay only when associated with other grasses, such as little (Schizachyrium scoparium) and big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii). This grass increases on ranges that are grazed continuously. It is an invader on ranges in poor condition. Range managed to maintain this grass in the plant community should be grazed no more than 50 percent of the current year's growth and grazing should be deferred 45 to 60 days in the spring every 2 to 3 years.

Establishment

Growth starts in the spring when daily temperature is 70 to 75 degrees F. The seedheads emerge 3 to 4 weeks later with the seeds ripening during a 4‑ to 6‑week period. Silver bluestem is a prolific seed producer. It grows best on loamy soils underlain by limestone. It grows well on clays and clay loams throughout the blackland resource areas of the South. Further west, it grows on rocky slopes and coarser textured soils. It does not grow well on moist sites.

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