Family: Poaceae

Bouteloua dactyloides (buffalo grass, buffalogras) is a warm-season, perennial grass native to the central plains of North America, particularly the United States. It forms a low-growing, dense turf with fine, blue-green leaves and slender flowering stalks that produce small seed heads. Buffalo grass is highly valued for its drought tolerance, low maintenance requirements, and ability to establish a durable lawn or pasture. It is often used in landscaping, erosion control, and as forage for livestock, making it a practical choice in areas with limited water availability.

While buffalo grass is generally considered safe and non-invasive, it can spread aggressively in favorable conditions and outcompete other low-growing native plants if not managed. It is well-adapted to dry, open landscapes, which means it can naturalize outside cultivated areas in some regions. However, it does not typically pose a high ecological risk compared with other non-native grasses and is often recommended for sustainable landscaping in arid and semi-arid areas.

High Risk Traits:

• Broad climate tolerance
  
• History of introductions (China, Japan, Hawaii)
  
• Disturbance-adapted weed
  
• Fire-adapted; may increase fire risk
  
• Spreads vegetatively via stolons/rhizomes
  
• Animal-dispersed seeds (burrs)
  
• Seeds survive digestion
  
• Persistent seed bank
  
• Tolerates grazing, cutting, and fire

Low Risk Traits:

• Not a major crop/nature weed
  
• No thorns or burrs
  
• Palatable forage
  
• Non-toxic
  
• Shade-intolerant
  
• Not self-compatible
  
• Low seed output
  
• Herbicide-sensitive