Muttongrass is among the most drought tolerant of the bluegrasses. It is a native, long-lived bunch grass that is typically used for restoration and revegetation work. It can have low seed viability which can make seed establishment a challenge, but once it is established, it creates a fibrous shallow root system. It is one of the first grasses to green up in the spring, providing excellent forage for cattle, horses and sheep, as well as elk and deer. It will go dormant in the summer without continued moisture. In the Southwest muttongrass can even green up under the snow, providing a winter feed source. Muttongrass appears to be relatively fire resistant if the fire is not too hot. Muttongrass is an important component of juniper and piñon-juniper woodlands. Plants can also be found throughout ponderosa pine and into aspen forests and Engelmann spruce-lodgepole pine zones.
Variety available: Local origin of Montezuma County, Colorado. Source ID: Ruin Canyon
