New Varieties Digital Guide 2025 - 25

CULTURE REPORT
winter. 'Zig Zag' has at least three
times more flowers and seed heads
than regular grama grass and is
a tight, tidy grower that needs
very little extra irrigation once
established. It loves the sun and
poor soils of all types. Compact
at 15-18 inches tall and hardy to
USDA Zones 3-10.
Native grasses
continue to be on
the rise thanks to
increased awareness
of the benefits
'BLONDE AMBITION'
Another discovery by David
Salman, 'Blonde Ambition' stands
out with its chartreuse flowers that
mature to blonde, and " eyebrowshaped "
seed heads that rise
above attractive blue-green
foliage. 'Blonde Ambition' has
won numerous awards, including
Best new perennial/grass at the
Farwest Show and the Plant Select
distinction. It grows up to 30 inches
in mature height, prefers full sun
and is hardy to USDA Zones 3-10.
'HONEYCOMB'
Completing the trio, 'Honeycomb'
is aptly named for its honey-blonde
" eyelash " seedheads, which are
held high on upright stems. The
blooms appear in summer and hold
into winter. Discovered by Brent
Horvath with Intrinsic Perennial
Gardens, 'Honeycomb' has a fuller
habit and is denser, with less blade
dieback than some other varieties.
It stands at 30 inches mature height
and is hardy to USDA Zones 3-10.
CULTURAL INFORMATION
Potting
If you are starting from 50-cell
liner trays, transplant one liner per
pot. The recommended finish size for
grama grass is 1-gallon pots.
Growing media
Bouteloua gracilis does best in
well-draining commercial potting mix
with a soil pH of 5.8-6.2 and a soil
EC of 1.8-2.2. In the garden and
'Honeycomb'
they provide and
an appreciation
for what they
add to gardens
and commercial
landscapes.
'Blonde Ambition'
landscape, it should be planted in
well-draining soil.
Growing temperature
Maintain even temperatures
during the day of 65° F to 75° F
and 55° F to 65° F at night.
Finish time
If you're planting from January
thru mid-March, finish time will
be 8-10 weeks. If grama grass is
planted in the spring, growers
can expect a finished product in
6-8 weeks.
Growing tips
For best results in the garden and
landscape, remove spent foliage and
flowers in fall or late winter before
new growth emerges in the spring.
Fertilizing
Apply constant liquid feed at low
levels of 100-150 ppm nitrogen.
When Bouteloua gracilis is planted
in the garden and landscape, little
to no fertilizer is required.
Moisture level
It's important to allow plants to
dry between ample waterings.
Grama grass is drought tolerant
once established in the garden
and landscape.
Pests and disease
Always watch out for leaf spots
and rusts. In the spring, increase
scouting efforts for aphids.
Vernalization, supplemental
lighting and plant growth regulators
are not required to produce
Bouteloua gracilis�
Jonathan Babikow is a grower for
Emerald Coast Growers in Lancaster,
Pennsylvania. For more information,
please visit ecgrowers.com, call 850-9440808
or email sales@ecgrowers.com.
GREENHOUSE PRODUCT NEWS 25
http://www.ecgrowers.com http://8509440808
New Varieties Digital Guide 2025

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of New Varieties Digital Guide 2025
