Warm season perennial tufted bunch grass. Used for grazing and erosion control. Broad, natural geographic distribution with wide variation in types of plants. Seven hundred and fifty Old World bluestems from Asia and Europe were tested on the Southern Plains over the past 60 years. Six varieties have proven outstanding in one or more characteristics and are available as named cultivars. ‘WW-SPAR’ was selected for outstanding drought tolerance and forage production. It is a prolific seed producer and is relatively easy to establish. WW-Spar was one of the strains in Plains. It was released in 1983 and has been established on thousands of acres. Grow Height Cold Tolerance Minimum Rainfall Planting Rate Acre 2-3′ Medium 15″ 2-4 pls.
