Blue Grama

Bouteloua gracilis

Pollinator Value

🐛 Larval Host: Hesperia leonardus, Hesperia comma, Hesperia ottoe, Oarisma garita
S14 filtered to species with ON/QC-adjacent ranges (Nearctic/Holarctic); S10 H. leonardus and H. ottoe observed feeding on this grass
❄️ Winter Food Source: Seeds consumed by Brewer's Sparrow (16.5% of diet items), Vesper Sparrow, Red-winged Blackbird, and Wild Turkey. Seed awns cling to fur and feathers, aiding dispersal. Seeds mature in summer and persist into fall, though S11 notes Fruit/Seed Persistence=No, suggesting limited winter carryover in most conditions.
S57 S10 S11

Proximity Score: 2
Native Status: ❌ Outaouais ❌ Ottawa ❌ QC ❌ ON
Closest Direction: NW
CEC Eco-Regions: 9 – Great Plains, 9.2 – Temperate Prairies, 9.2.2 – Lake Manitoba and Lake Agassiz Plain
Rarity Notes: Not listed under SARA. NatureServe global rank G5 (Secure), Canadian national rank N5. Not native to Ontario or Quebec per VASCAN; Ontario occurrences are classified as introduced. The species' core range is the Great Plains shortgrass prairie from southern Canada (AB, SK, MB, BC) southward through the western US to Mexico.
S22 S26 S1 S4
Migration: Stable
Ecological Context: A dominant warm-season bunchgrass of dry shortgrass prairie throughout the Great Plains and the Southwest, typically found on well-drained, low-fertility soils including clay, gravel, and sandy loams at elevations of 300-3000 m. In moister mixed prairies it occurs as an understory grass. It forms dense tufts and, in northern populations, can spread by rhizomes to create sod. Its C4 metabolism confers high drought tolerance and water-use efficiency. Far outside its native range in the Ottawa-Gatineau region.
S4 S29 S10

Roles: Fire Retardant, Fortress/Barrier, Pollinator Attractor
S73/S29/S72 Evidence: Fire Retardant: S73 [HIGH]: S11 Fire Resistant = Yes (definitional)] | Fortress/Barrier: S61 keyword match: prickl (supporting signal only)] | Pollinator Attractor: S73 [HIGH]: S64 Xerces listed (source-classified)]
Notes: Frequently planted in combination with Buffalograss for a solid, low-water lawn cover in dry climates. The drier the site, the more it stays in separate clumps rather than forming sod, making wildflower interplanting effective. As a C4 warm-season grass it complements cool-season species by filling the summer growth window. Low fertility needs mean it pairs well with other lean-soil species without promoting weedy competition.
S4 S29 S10

Category: Dermatological Aid, Gynecological Aid, Panacea, Antidote, Veterinary Aid
S28 Moerman Drug categories from Navajo Ramah uses
Notes: Navajo Ramah people chewed roots and blew them on cuts as a dermatological aid, and applied them similarly to incisions on castrated colts (veterinary aid). A decoction of the whole plant was taken as a postpartum medicine (gynecological aid). A compound cold infusion of root was used internally and externally as 'life medicine' (panacea), and a compound decoction was taken to counteract overdose of this same medicine (antidote). PFAF rates medicinal value 1/5.
S28 S29

✅ Edible

Foraging Notes: Seeds were traditionally parched, ground, and mixed with corn meal to make porridge or bread by Apache and Hopi peoples. Western Apache used stems as comb and broom material. PFAF rates edibility 3/5 noting the grains are pleasant-tasting (barley-like when toasted) but yield per plant is modest and de-chaffing is tedious. Not considered palatable as a direct human food in modern context.
S28 S29 S11