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Products > Bothriochloa barbinodis
 
Bothriochloa barbinodis - Cane Bluestem

Note: This plant is no longer in stock. This is an archive page preserved for informational use.  
Image of Bothriochloa barbinodis
[2nd Image]
Habit and Cultural Information
Category: Grass
Family: Poaceae (Gramineae) (Grasses)
Origin: California (U.S.A.)
California Native (Plant List): Yes
Bloomtime: Summer/Fall
Parentage: (Andropogon barbinodis)
Height: 3-4 feet
Width: 3-4 feet
Exposure: Full Sun
Summer Dry: Yes
Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs
Winter Hardiness: <15° F
Bothriochloa barbinodis (Cane Bluestem) - A warm-season deciduous medium-sized clumping grass that can grow to 4 feet tall and wide with pale green foliage and fluffy silvery-white flower heads that appear in summer through early fall. Fall foliage is a blush of reds and oranges and in winter the entire plant takes on a gray-white cast. Not picky about soil conditions, but grows best in a well-draining moist soil in full sun but is quite drought tolerant along the coast. Hardy to below 15° F. It is native to California from San Diego County to Ventura County (at some time maybe into Santa Barbara) where it grows in dry hilly locations. It also can be found across the American Southwest to New Mexico. We first grew this wonderful native grass in 1992 though discontinued growing it a few years later because it was underappreciated. We started growing it again in 2010 because we really like it and at the urging of native plant specialist Carol Bornstein. The name for the genus comes from Greek words 'bothrion' meaning a "furrow" "pit" or "trench" and 'chloa' meaning "a blade of grass" in reference to a distinct groove in the joints and pedicels. The specific epithet combines the Latin words 'barba' meaning "beard" and 'nodus' meaning "joint" for the hairy nodes of this plant. It has previously been treated as Andropogon barbinodis. 

Information displayed on this page about Bothriochloa barbinodis is based on our research conducted about this plant in our nursery library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include our own observations made about it as it has grown in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.

 
San Marcos Growers closed for regular business at the end of 2025 as the property is being developed for affordable housing.
While our gates remain closed, we will open them by appointment so we can liquidate remaining plants, supplies and equipment. The plants remaining in the field are listed on our Live Inventory Page.
 
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