Getting it to bloom

Why won't my Blue Grama Grass bloom? (and how to make it flower)

Also called blue grama grass, mosquito grass (Bouteloua gracilis).

More about blue grama grass

About Blue Grama Grass

Bouteloua gracilis · also called blue grama grass, mosquito grass · flowering

Blue grama (Bouteloua gracilis) is a tough, warm-season North American prairie grass forming low blue-green tufts topped by distinctive one-sided, comb-like flower spikes held horizontally like tiny eyebrows or mosquito larvae. Exceptionally drought- and heat-tolerant, it suits sunny meadows, lawns and xeriscapes on lean, well-drained soil with minimal care once established.

Plant type: flowering

Watch for — Thinning in shade: Becomes sparse and weak where it receives less than full sun, losing density and flowering; relocate or open up the canopy above it.

The reasons blue grama grass isn't blooming

Almost every non-blooming blue grama grass traces back to one of these, roughly in order of how common they are:

Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.
Too much nitrogen feed, driving lush foliage at the expense of flowers (very common with general or lawn feeds).
The plant has not been deadheaded, so it stops flowering once it sets seed.
Irregular watering — drought or waterlogging at the budding stage makes buds abort.
It is still too young or was checked by a transplant and is rebuilding before flowering.

Feeding blue grama grass a high-nitrogen general feed and growing it in too little sun — you get a big leafy plant and almost no flowers.

The fix — how to get blue grama grass to flower

Maximise sun. Give blue grama grass the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers.
Switch the feed. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.
Deadhead regularly. Remove spent flowers often to keep it producing more rather than stopping to set seed.
Water consistently. Keep moisture even through budding and flowering — drought-then-flood swings make buds drop.

Light and feeding do most of the heavy lifting here. Dial in the spot with the light guide for blue grama grass and get the feeding right with the blue grama grass fertilising schedule — the wrong feed (too much nitrogen) is one of the most common silent reasons a healthy plant makes leaves instead of flowers.

Bloom season and what to expect

Blue Grama Grass flowers across its growing season (mostly summer) and, kept fed and deadheaded, can bloom for many weeks or right up to frost.

Post-bloom care so it flowers again

Deadhead, keep feeding lightly, and many will rebloom; collect seed from the best plants at the end of the season if you want to grow them again.

For everything else this plant needs day to day, see the full blue grama grass care brief and its watering schedule — a stressed, badly watered plant rarely has the energy to flower at all.

Blue Grama Grass blooming — frequently asked questions

Why won't my blue grama grass flower?

Blue Grama Grass blooms on the season's growth given enough sun, warmth and the right feed — there is no cold or photoperiod trick, just good growing conditions and a bloom-leaning feed. The most common reason it is not happening: Too little sun — most of these need full sun (or very bright light) to flower well; shade gives leaves, not blooms.

How do I make blue grama grass bloom?

Give blue grama grass the sunniest spot you have — for most bedding and fruiting plants, more direct light directly means more flowers. Move off high-nitrogen feeds and use a higher-potassium "bloom" or tomato-type feed as it comes into flower.

When does blue grama grass normally bloom?