Buffelgrass
Pennisetum ciliare · Warm-season perennial, C4
AI-generated identification · may be incorrect
Grass Category
Invasive/Weed, Pasture, Erosion Control
Hardiness Zones
USDA zones 9 to 11 with extreme sensitivity to prolonged hard freezes.
About This Grass
Tussock-forming grass reaching 10 to 80 cm tall with grey-green to blue-green leaves and distinctive bristly, purplish cylindrical spike-like seed heads.
Blade Characteristics
Flat, linear blades 3 to 13 mm wide with pointed tips, scabrous margins, and membranous ligules edged with hairs.
Growing Information
Growth Habit
Dense bunch-type with short rhizomes, aggressively expanding
Sunlight & Water Needs
Requires full sun and high heat with very high drought tolerance; adapts to poor, well-drained soils.
Mowing & Maintenance
High maintenance if managed as forage; difficult to control due to rapid regrowth and deep root crown.
Identified on 9/25/2026