Explore Plants
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.
Can't find the answer in our existing FAQs, submit a question to Mr. Smarty Plants.
Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.
rate this answer
Friday - May 13, 2005
From: Austin, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Grasses or Grass-like
Title: Native, durable, drought tolerant grasses for Amarillo, TX
Answered by: Nan Hampton
QUESTION:
Are there any kinds of native grasses that are drought tolerant, durable and able to survive heavy foot traffic, and native to the Amarillo, Texas area?ANSWER:
Buffalo grass (Buchloe dactyloides) meets all your criteria except "heavy" foot traffic. It is, however, durable and will tolerate "moderate" foot traffic. It also requires lots of sunshine and does not do well in too much shade. Buffalo grass is drought tolerant, requires little maintenance (mowing once or twice a year), and can be started from seed, from "plugs", or installed as sod. You can read more about creating a native lawn using buffalo grass in "Native Lawns" from the Native Plant Library. This article is a 3-page PDF-formatted article that you can download. You can search for Nurseries or Seed Companies in Texas that specialize in native grasses and wildflowers by visiting the National Suppliers Directory.More Grasses or Grass-like Questions
Plants for steep bank in Pennsylvania
July 12, 2011 - What do I do with a very steep bank with hard clay soil to stop erosion and to look nice. Is there a ground cover that would help?
view the full question and answer
Ground cover for high traffic area in Pennsylvania
August 01, 2012 - I am wondering if there is a Pennsylvania native turf like grass/plant that can withstand a lot of foot traffic (public area with lots of children). This will be used in a formal setting so will need ...
view the full question and answer
Removing Purple Top Tridens out of Mt Pleasant Texas
April 07, 2011 - We would like to know how to kill these Purple Top Triden out of our garden. Thanks, Judy
view the full question and answer
Tolerance to foot traffic for native turf grass
December 16, 2010 - I have read your articles on your mix of three native seeds for turf grass and on other native grasses but am left with a couple of lingering questions. We have about a 600 sq. ft area we want to plan...
view the full question and answer
Native grasses for Kansas City
March 13, 2008 - I live in a Johnson county suburb of Kansas City. I would like to have a section on my yard be native grasses. Can I drive the country roads and dig up clumps of the grasses I like? Will they grow?...
view the full question and answer
 |
Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. Mr. Smarty Plants wants you to be his Facebook friend. Click the Facebook icon to add yourself to Mr. Smarty Plants list of friends. |
