In 2023, we listed a new selection of the North American native buffalo grass, Tridens strictus ‘Buffalo Feathers’. It went over as well as a tax hike, selling a pitiful 42 plants over a two year span. Well, after a winter of snow and ice, the plumes are still upright, and looking great. Credit to Garden Curator, Doug Ruhren, for pointing this out. It’s unfortunate that more folks didn’t give it a try when we offered it.
This grass grows naturally in prairie and open pineland habitats from New York south to Florida and west to TX and KS. Each 3′ wide clump of long-spike tridens produces extremely dense florets of millet-like panicles in October-November on upright stems reaching 6’ tall. In the Carolinas it is extremely rare and was only rediscovered for North Carolina in 2022 in Anson County. This Wade Roitsch, Texas collection from Giddings (Lee Co.), Texas is the coastal form, which is far superior ornamentally in both form and longevity. We like Tridens as an architectural feature in structured gardens but it is also great for those wishing to plant their own prairie landscape. Hardiness is Zone 6a-9b, at least.
The grass that is usually referred to as “Buffalo grass” is “Buchloe dactyloides” which in native to the Great Plains and is sometimes used as drought-tolerant alternative to typical turf grasses. I don’t know of any selections of this species that can thrive in the humidity of the Southeast.
I just did a search and much to my surprise, I found that Hoffman Nursery in NC has had a good experience growing “Buffalo grass” There may be a strain that will persist here that will handle our summer humidity. I may give it a try. Two -three annual mowings sounds appealing.