Buffalo Grass (Bouteloua dactyloides) is a popular choice for turf applications due to its remarkable drought tolerance and low maintenance requirements compared to many traditional lawn grasses. This warm-season grass forms a dense, attractive sod, making it highly desirable for homeowners seeking a sustainable landscape. Its spreading nature often raises the question of whether it is an invasive species. However, Buffalo Grass is generally not considered invasive in its native range, though its vigorous growth habit still requires management.
Native Status and Ecological Classification
The question of whether Buffalo Grass is invasive is primarily a matter of ecological definition. An invasive species is scientifically defined as a non-native organism whose introduction causes, or is likely to cause, environmental or economic harm. This definition requires the plant to be introduced to an area outside of its natural distribution.
Buffalo Grass is a native North American species, with its extensive natural range covering the Great Plains of the United States, extending into parts of Canada and Mexico. Because it is native, it cannot meet the fundamental requirement of being non-native in most areas where it is cultivated. It is instead classified as a native aggressive spreader, meaning it is well-adapted and highly competitive within its established ecosystem.
Its native range encompasses the shortgrass prairie, where it often grows alongside Blue Grama (Bouteloua gracilis). The plant is well-suited to the fine-textured clay loam soils and the arid to semi-arid conditions of the plains. Because it is a natural component of this ecosystem, its presence does not cause the ecological disruption associated with true invasive species.
Mechanisms of Aggressive Spread
Buffalo Grass is often mistaken for an invasive plant due to its highly effective reproductive strategies, which allow it to colonize open ground quickly. Its primary method of vegetative reproduction is through stolons, which are specialized horizontal stems that grow along the soil surface. These above-ground runners extend outward from the main plant, rooting at the nodes to produce new, genetically identical plantlets. This stoloniferous growth pattern allows the grass to form a tight, dense mat of sod, rapidly filling in bare patches and suppressing weeds.
Buffalo Grass also reproduces through seed, a process connected to its dioecious nature, where male and female flowers are borne on separate plants. The male flowers are held on taller stalks, while the female flowers are contained in hard, bur-like clusters that sit lower among the leaves. These bur-like seed clusters aid in dispersal and establishment, contributing to the plant’s capacity for wide-ranging colonization.
Establishment and Control Strategies
Successful establishment of a Buffalo Grass lawn is often a slow process that requires attention to specific horticultural details. The grass can be established either by direct seeding or by planting vegetative plugs or sod. Seeding is typically most successful when performed in late spring or early summer, once soil temperatures have warmed sufficiently.
When establishing from seed, the seed burrs should be placed shallowly in the soil. Because establishment is slow, sometimes taking a full season to achieve a dense stand, the initial growth period requires persistent weed control to prevent competition. Planting vegetative plugs offers a faster coverage option, as the plugs quickly send out stolons to fill in the space between them.
Controlling the aggressive spread of Buffalo Grass where it is unwanted, such as along sidewalks or flower beds, relies on managing its stoloniferous growth. Since the runners grow along the surface, they can be effectively contained with physical barriers. Installing a permanent, deep edging material, such as metal or plastic landscape edging, is the most effective way to prevent the stolons from invading adjacent areas.
Regular maintenance, such as vertical mowing or edging, can also sever the stolons before they establish new roots outside the desired turf area. For targeted spot control, carefully removing the stolons by hand is a viable option, as is the use of non-selective herbicides applied directly to the unwanted patches. Avoiding over-fertilization and frequent watering also helps manage its spread, as these practices promote excessive growth.