# Sideoats Grama (*Bouteloua curtipendula*) Sideoats Grama is a beautiful grass that grows tall and has unique seed heads that hang to the side. It is great for attracting butterflies and other insects, making it a fun plant to discover in nature! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 6 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Sideoats Grama](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Bouteloua_curtipendula.jpg&width=800) Photo: Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bouteloua_curtipendula.jpg) ## Appearance The Sideoats Grama is a medium-height grass with distinctive oat-like seed heads hanging gracefully along one side of its stems. Its slender leaves are blue-green, often turning shades of orange or purple in cooler weather. These unique, comb-like spikes help it stand out. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Liliopsida - **Order:** Poales - **Family:** Poaceae - **Genus:** Bouteloua ## Interesting facts - It can grow up to a meter tall, towering over many other types of grasses! - Its seeds hang like tiny flags from the stem, giving it a playful, unique look! - Many indigenous tribes used its seeds for food, grinding them into flour for bread! - This grass is a superstar at bringing back healthy prairies, helping other plants grow too! ## Special abilities - **Root Power:** Sideoats Grama has deep, fibrous roots that help it survive droughts and hold soil firmly, preventing erosion. - **Solar Supercharger:** Sideoats Grama uses a special photosynthesis pathway (C4) to efficiently capture sunlight in hot, dry conditions, helping it grow fast. - **Seed Slingers:** Sideoats Grama produces numerous seeds on one side of its stem, which easily disperse to establish new plants and thrive. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-100 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer to Fall - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [American Bison](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-bison) (*Bison bison*) — A primary food source for grazing bison. - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — Deer graze on its leaves and tender shoots. - **Eats:** [Deer Mouse](https://www.snappit.app/explore/deer-mouse) (*Peromyscus maniculatus*) — Consumes its nutritious seeds. - **Eats:** [Lark Sparrow](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lark-sparrow) (*Chondestes grammacus*) — Feeds on its seeds and uses it for cover. ## Traits - [Nitrogen Fixing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nitrogen-fixing): Describes organisms capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into compounds usable by plants. - [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form. - [Grass-Like](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grass-like): Grass-like plants are herbaceous plants that visually resemble true grasses, typically having long, narrow leaves. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always explore plants with an adult and never eat anything you find outside without checking first. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Sideoats Grama? Compare seed heads, stem shape, how leaves attach, and the joint where leaf meets stem. A patch of mown lawn rarely shows enough for an exact ID. Grass Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Sideoats Grama? 30-100 cm ### How wide does Sideoats Grama spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on Sideoats Grama? 0.5-1.5 cm ### When does Sideoats Grama bloom? Summer to Fall ### Is Sideoats Grama edible? Yes ### Is Sideoats Grama toxic? None ### What is Sideoats Grama's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Morrill County Courthouse](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/morrill-county-courthouse) — Nebraska, US · Historic Site - [Thurber](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/thurber) — Texas, US · Neighborhood - [Metropolitan Park Bathhouse and Pool Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/metropolitan-park-bathhouse-and-pool-historic-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District - [Rita Blanca National Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rita-blanca-national-grassland) — Texas, US · National Park - [Lake Hiddenwood Recreation Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lake-hiddenwood-recreation-area) — South Dakota, US · Park [View all places to see Sideoats Grama](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/sideoats-grama) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Sideoats Grama: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sideoats-grama)