Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Sunday - March 30, 2008
From: Yuma, AZ
Region: Southwest
Topic: Grasses or Grass-like
Title: Viability of buffalo grass in Yuma, AZ
Answered by: Barbara Medford
QUESTION:
Will Buffalo Grass grow in Yuma, AZ, where the temperature can go as high as 120 degrees in the summer?ANSWER:
You might want to begin by reading this article on Native Lawns from our How-to Articles. It specifically discusses buffalograss, its planting and care.
We checked first in the USDA Plant Profile for Bouteloua dactyloides (buffalograss). While it appears that buffalograss does grow in Arizona, it is not shown as growing in Yuma County, in the southwest corner of Arizona. This may not be a complete picture, as the Plant Profile is sometimes out of date. We could find no upper limit on the temperature buffalograss could withstand, but it is said to be heat-resistant. One consideration might be whether the lawn will be irrigated. You will note from the webpage on buffalograss that it can withstand drought, but may need some irrigation in long, hot, dry spells. Some of the counties in Arizona are farther south than Yuma, and appear to have buffalograss growing.
To get information from plant people closer to home, try this site from the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension office for Yuma County.
More Grasses or Grass-like Questions
Keeping Bermuda out of Native Turfgrass
May 15, 2011 - We live on zip code 78154. Sadly our yard has bermuda grass–we are using solarization to kill the bermuda and plant seeds of buffalograss/bluegrama/curly-mesquite. All the neighbors have bermuda and ...
view the full question and answer
When does Bouteloua dactyloides (Buffalograss) go to seed in southern US?
August 06, 2014 - When does Bouteloua dactyloides go to seed in the southern United States, mainly Texas?
view the full question and answer
Habiturf care from Plano TX
July 03, 2014 - Five weeks ago, we planted a Habiturf lawn in our back yard. The grass looks great and is already about 6 inches. I have two questions to solve before we do the front yard.
We have lots of purslane m...
view the full question and answer
Weeds in Habiturf from Austin
May 14, 2012 - We had our old lawn removed, tilled, laid compost, and Habiturf seed spread. I'm not sure if the man we contracted to do the work didn't adequately remove the old weed debris when he prepared the la...
view the full question and answer
Low plants to cover bank too steep to mow
June 26, 2008 - I have a bank along the road that is too steep to mow. This bank faces east and only gets 2 - 4 hours per day of sunlight. I'd like to try ground cover to prevent erosion, however visibility is a p...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |