Bothriochloa ischaemum var. songarica
What it is
King Ranch Bluestem is a warm-season perennial grass in the Old World bluestem group, originally from Eurasia. It grows in bunches, sends up purple-tinged seedheads shaped like little hand fans, and thrives where other grasses struggle. You’ll see it most along roadsides, old pastures, and thin lawns.
How it got here and got its name
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1917 First seed shipment arrived in the U.S. from China to California.
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1924 Introduced in Texas at a USDA station in Angleton.
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1930s - 40s Released and promoted for forage and especially erosion control during the Dust Bowl years.
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Name origin One strain was planted extensively on King Ranch near Kingsville, Texas, and soon became known as “King Ranch bluestem.”
Why it’s everywhere
KR Bluestem grows fast, tolerates drought, and produces huge amounts of seed. Highway departments seeded it for erosion control, ranchers seeded it for forage, and once established it thrives on disturbance like mowing, grading, or overgrazing. That combination explains why it now occurs in every Texas ecoregion and throughout the southern U.S., with records as far north as Kansas, Colorado, and even scattered in New York.
Why it shows up in “junk” lawns
This grass outcompetes turf where the soil is poor, compacted, dry, and unfertilized. In healthy, thick turfgrass stands, it struggles. That’s why it so often pops up in thin, neglected, or low-input yards leading many to call it a “junk grass.”
Management and control
There is no selective herbicide labeled for KR Bluestem in home lawns. Management takes a multi-step approach:
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Cultural care
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Fertilize, irrigate, and aerate to thicken desirable turf.
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Overseed or plug bare spots.
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Mechanical steps
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Mow before seedheads mature to reduce spread.
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Bag or dispose of clippings if possible.
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Chemical options
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Spot-treat clumps with glyphosate (non-selective) and then re-sod or re-seed the area.
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In bermudagrass, some managers use dormant-season glyphosate when bermuda is brown but KR is still green but injury is still likely.
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Renovation
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For heavy infestations, spray-smother cycles or tillage, then re-establish desirable turf.
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Rangeland/roadsides
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Prescribed summer fire, combined with follow-up management, can reduce KR density and help natives recover. (This is a specialized tool requiring permits and trained crews.)
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Bottom line
KR Bluestem was introduced with good intentions a century ago, but today it is considered invasive in Texas landscapes. It spreads aggressively, offers little turf quality, and is tough to remove once established. The most reliable strategy is to kill clumps, re-establish desirable turf, and keep that turf dense and healthy so KR has no foothold.
BES-TEX Supply
4512 Adobe Dr. · San Angelo, TX 76903
325.653.1300 · www.BES-TEX.com