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Native Plant Society of Texas

Silver Bluestem

Bothriochloa laguroides

Other common name(s):

Silver Beardgrass, Silver Beard Grass

Family:

Poaceae (Grass Family)

Plant Ecoregion Distribution Map

This map uses data from the US EPA. EPA  servers have been offline frequently so maps may not display. We are working on a solution.

Central Great Plains, Chihuahuan Deserts, Cross Timbers, East Central Texas Plains, Edwards Plateau, Gulf Coast Prairies and Marshes, High Plains, Southern Texas Plains, Southwestern Tablelands, Texas Blackland Prairies, Western Gulf Coastal Plain
Broken Red Plains, Limestone Plains, Red Prairie
Chihuahuan Basins and Playas, Chihuahuan Desert Grasslands, Chihuahuan Montane Woodlands, Low Mountains and Bajadas, Stockton Plateau
Carbonate Cross Timbers, Eastern Cross Timbers, Grand Prairie, Limestone Cut Plain, Western Cross Timbers
Bastrop Lost Pines, Floodplains and Low Terraces2, Northern Post Oak Savanna, Northern Prairie Outliers, San Antonio Prairie, Southern Post Oak Savanna
Balcones Canyonlands, Edwards Plateau Woodland, Llano Uplift, Semiarid Edwards Plateau
Coastal Sand Plain, Floodplains and Low Terraces4, Laguna Madre Barrier Island and Coastal Marshes, Lower Rio Grande Alluvial Floodplain, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Mid-Coast Barrier Islands and Coastal Marshes, Northern Humid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Southern Subhumid Gulf Coastal Prairies, Texas-Louisiana Coastal Marshes
Arid Llano Estacado, Canadian/Cimarron High Plains, Llano Estacado, Rolling Sand Plains, Shinnery Sands
Northern Nueces Alluvial Plains, Rio Grande Floodplain and Terraces, Semiarid Edwards Bajada, Texas-Tamaulipan Thornscrub
Canadian/Cimarron Breaks, Caprock Canyons Badlands Breaks, Flat Tablelands and Valleys, Semiarid Canadian Breaks
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie
Flatwoods, Floodplains and Low Terraces3, Southern Tertiary Uplands, Tertiary Uplands

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Grass & Sedge

Height

2
to
3
ft.

Spread

0.5
to
1
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Limestone, Loam, Sand, Well Drained

Light Requirement

Sun

Water Requirement

Low

Native Habitat

Disturbed Areas, Grassland, Woodland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

White

Bloom Season

Spring, Summer, Fall

Seasonal Interest

Fall Color, Forage, Larval Host, Nectar, Pollen, Seeds

Wildlife Benefit

Birds, Browsers, Butterflies

Maintenance

Can be used as an accent or in a prairie or meadow. Needs well-drained soils. Drought tolerant, but appreciates supplemental water in the summer. Will flop over in too much shade. Native habitat: disturbed soils, Native Habitat: prairies, roadsides, river bottoms, and woodlands, rocky slopes and sandy plains.

Description

Blooms May-November. A warm-season, clumping grass with silky flower puffs at the end of stems. Leaves are a dull green with a silvery white or tan appearance, which turns from red to burnt orange in the fall. Larval host: Skippers, Satyrs.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Bothriochloa laguroides ssp. torreyana, Andropogon saccharoides var. torreyanus, Dichanthium saccharoides subvar. torreyanum

References

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Seed No Treatment In mid March to mid April, sow seeds outside in cells or in the ground. Lightly cover with soil. The seed do not need pretreatment, but they germinate best when they are exposed to large temperature swings (70-90 F with nights 34-45 F). Seeds will germinate in 2-7 weeks. Timing is key. Harvest mature seeds from existing plants in late summer or early fall when the seed heads turn a light tan color. Gently rub the seed heads between your palms to release the seeds. 1) https://frontrange.wildones.org/wp-content/images/sites/105/2020/10/Bothriochloa-laguroides-ssp.-torreyana-.pdf 2) https://propagate.one/how-to-propagate-bothriochloa-laguroides/
Clump Division Using a sharp spade or garden knife, carefully lift the entire clump of grass from the ground. Depending on the size of the clump, you can divide it into sections, ensuring each section has a healthy amount of roots and shoots. Choose a sunny location with well-drained soil for your new divisions. Dig holes slightly larger than the root balls and space them 12-18 inches apart to allow for future growth. Water thoroughly after planting. Ideally, divide Silver Bluestem in early spring, just as new growth emerges. This allows the divisions ample time to establish themselves before the heat of summer. https://propagate.one/how-to-propagate-bothriochloa-laguroides/

About the Region

2026 Fall Symposium Logo

This low-elevations region of Texas extends inland from the barrier islands, about 60 or so miles, and stretches from Brownsville to Louisiana. In total, it covers about 9.5 million acres, with a high point of 150 feet in elevation. More than 1000 species of plants can be found in this region. On the southern end, species more common in Mexico (such as Sabal mexicana) and Central America occur.

The barrier islands provide us with dune systems, and clay flats to the inland side, which have species found in these areas alone. Many plants here, such as Ipomoea pes-caprae (beach morning glory), can be found throughout tropical regions of the globe. I’ve encountered the same species on the beaches of Guam.

Once inland, vast marshes and wet prairies occur. Occasionally, oak (Quercus fusiformis) groves can be found. Common grasses include species of Bothriochloa, Paspalum, and Sporobolus; eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides); and switchgrass (Panicum species). Many rivers and creeks cut through the Gulf Prairies, and along these riparian areas various species of trees, Sabal minor, and other plants adapted to clay soils can be found. Due to overgrazing, farming, and fire suppression, woody species such as mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa) and huisache (Acacia farnesiana), and invasive species such as chinaberry (Melia azedarach), Brazilian pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius), and Chinese tallow (Sapium sebiferum) have increased and displaced our native flora.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason