Wheat Sedge vs Blue Grama Grass - TreeTime.ca

Wheat Sedge vs Blue Grama Grass

Bouteloua gracilis

Carex atherodes

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

CUSTOM GROW

Blue Grama Grass
Wheat Sedge

Blue Grama is a native perennial bunchgrass recognized for its blue-green blades and unique seed heads. They grow along one side of the stem and are often compared to eyelashes, eyebrows, or mosquito larvae, which inspired its common names, Eyelash Grass and Mosquito Grass. As the seed heads begin to dry in the fall, they curl, further enhancing the plant’s distinctive appearance. The seeds provide food for birds, and the grass serves as a host plant for certain species of skipper butterflies.

As a warm-season grass, Blue Grama has a slow start in spring and does not actively grow until soil temperatures rise. Its deep roots help with erosion control, and the grass is drought-tolerant once established, thriving even in poor or alkaline soils. It is well-suited for soil stabilization, naturalization, restoration projects, or as an ornamental accent in gardens and landscapes.

Wheat Sedge is a native perennial sedge commonly found in wetlands, ditches, and along shorelines. It thrives in saturated soils, spreading by rhizomes to form large colonies that stabilize both soils and shorelines. This makes it valuable for wetland and riparian plantings.

Its distinctive, wheat-like seed spikes add seasonal character while providing food for waterfowl, and its dense clumps supply cover and nesting habitat for birds and small animals. Together, these traits make Wheat Sedge an important species for enhancing biodiversity and supporting healthy wetland ecosystems.

Blue Grama Grass Quick Facts

Wheat Sedge Quick Facts

Zone: 3a
Zone: 2a
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Height: 0.8 m (2.5 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Spread: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Light: full sun
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: dry, normal
Moisture: wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: fast
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: upright, clump-forming
Growth form: upright, colony-forming
Spreading: seeds - medium, tillering-medium
Spreading: rhizomes - high, seeds - low


Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, YT, NT
Other Names: blue grama grass, eyelash grass, mosquito grass
Other Names: awned sedge, hairy leaved lake sedge, slough sedge