Santa Fe Botanical Garden

Common name: LEGACY® buffalo grass

Family: Poaceae (Grass)

Distribution: Cultivated

Hardiness: USDA Zone 2 (-50 to -40 °F)

Life form: Grasses

Occurrence in New Mexico: Cultivar

Growing Conditions: Buffalo grass grows easily in a wide range of soil types except heavy sand; it prefers heavy clay. It should be planted in full sun and will not tolerate more than half a day of shade. It forms a tight groundcover that requires minimal mowing and needs little or no fertilization, depending on soil quality. This warm season grower is best adapted to low rainfall regions that receive 10-30 inches of annual precipitation at elevations below 6,500-7000 feet. Mature plants stay green throughout summer with 2 inches of water per month. It spreads slowly from stolons and a deep fibrous root system (3-4½ feet deep), and has a high traffic tolerance and high drought tolerance. Plugs can be planted from late spring, throughout summer, and into early fall. When placed on 6- or 12-inch centers, an area will be covered in about 2 and 3 months, respectively.

Description: LEGACY® (NE86-61) is a vegetatively-reproduced buffalo grass cultivar, distinguished by its blue-green turfgrass color, cold tolerance, low growth habit, and pubescent (hairy) leaf blades. It has a moderate rate of establishment compared to other buffalo grass cultivars. The fine blades of grass grow 4-6 inches tall and will tolerate mowing down to ⅝ inch, similar to the height used on golf courses. It resembles other buffalo grass cultivars with regards to heat, drought and salinity tolerance, and to canopy density and size of flowers. It is a clone of female-only plants, so does not produce seeds. Like all buffalo grasses, it turns a soft beige color when dormant in late fall through mid-spring, but was developed to green up earlier in spring and hold its color longer in fall than other varieties. NE86-61 is suitable for arid and semi-arid climates of United States and Canada.