Herb: Blue Grama


Latin name: Bouteloua gracilis


Synonyms: Bouteloua oligostachya


Family: Gramineae (Grass Family)



Medicinal use of Blue Grama:

The chewed roots have been applied to cuts. A decoction of the whole plant has been used as a post-partum medicine.

Description of the plant:



Plant:
Perennial


Height:
60 cm
(2 feet)

Flowering:
July to
August

Habitat of the herb:

Deserts and prairies.

Edible parts of Blue Grama:

Seed - raw or cooked. It can be ground into a powder, mixed with water and eaten as a mush, often with corn meal. It is also used to make bread.

Other uses of the herb:

The grass is sometimes used in the fill of coiled basketry. The stems can be used as a comb and broom material. The blades can be bundled by a cord and the stiff end used as a hair comb whilst the other end can be used as a broom.

Propagation of Blue Grama:

Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse. Only just cover the seed. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when large enough to handle and grow on for at least the first winter in a greenhouse. Plant out in early summer. Division.

Cultivation of the herb:

Deserts and prairies.

Known hazards of Bouteloua gracilis:

None known

Plant information taken from the Plants For A Future.