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Native Plant Society of Texas

Texas Grama

Bouteloua rigidiseta

Other common name(s):

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, 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
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
Llano Estacado
Northern Nueces Alluvial Plains, Rio Grande Floodplain and Terraces, Semiarid Edwards Bajada, Texas-Tamaulipan Thornscrub
Caprock Canyons Badlands Breaks
Floodplains and Low Terraces1, Northern Blackland Prairie, Southern Blackland Prairie
Flatwoods

Plant Characteristics

Growth Form

Grass & Sedge

Height

1
to
2
ft.

Spread

1
to
2
ft.

Leaf Retention

Deciduous

Lifespan

Perennial

Habitat and Care Requirements

Soil Type(s)

Clay, Dry, Sand

Light Requirement

Sun

Water Requirement

Low

Native Habitat

Disturbed Areas, Grassland

Bloom and Attraction

Bloom Color

Brown, Green, Yellow

Bloom Season

Spring, Summer, Fall

Seasonal Interest

Larval Host, Nectar, Nesting Material, Seeds

Wildlife Benefit

Birds, Butterflies

Maintenance

Drought tolerant. Wide distribution in Texas. It is one of the earliest warm-season grasses to flower. Supplemental water is not required but will help it to stay green through the summer. Native habitat: disturbed sites, grassy pastures woodland edges, grassy pastures.

Description

Blooms April-November. A bunching, warm-season grass, with a weak root system. Has spreading bell-shaped seeds that are purplish on the outside, drying to a wheat color. Seeds are distributed along a spike above the leaves. Important for native Harvester Ants that collect the seeds. Provides nesting material for the Texas Horned Lizard. Larval host: Branded Skippers and Satyrs.
Previous Scientific Name(s): Aegopogon rigidisetus, Bouteloua texana, Polyodon texanus

References

Learn about how to propagate Texas native plants.

Material Treatment Method Collection References
Clump Division The best times to propagate texas grama are during the cooler, moist periods of spring and autumn. Utilizing division as the propagation method, these seasons offer optimal temperatures and adequate light levels that support root establishment and growth without the stress of extreme heat or potential drought conditions prevalent in summer. Once divided, the sections should be planted promptly at the same depth they were originally growing to encourage successful establishment. Regular watering and minimizing transplant shock by keeping the soil moist will help the new plantlets thrive. Separate the parent plant into smaller clumps, ensuring that each new section has a healthy root mass and several shoots. https://www.picturethisai.com/care/propagate/Bouteloua_rigidiseta.html

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