Knowledgebase
Buffalo grass #677726
Asked November 25, 2020, 12:15 PM EST
Saginaw County Michigan
Expert Response
I applaud you for thinking 'out of the box' in looking for a native alternative to traditional lawn turf. Buffalograss, Buchloe dactyloides, is a perennial grass native to the Great Plains from Montana to Mexico. It is not native in Michigan. It is an open growing grass, usually 8" to 10" tall, spreading by stolons, meaning weeds can gain a foothold easier than in traditional turfgrass. Buffalograss grows best in full sun and heavy clay with moderate to low rainfall. I have attached links to several articles on Buffalograss and it's establishment for you to read for a better understanding (note they are all from plains state universities):
https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/turf/publications/buffalo.html
https://blogs.k-state.edu/turf/a-homeowner-step-by-step-buffalograss-lawn-guide
https://planttalk.colostate.edu/topics/lawns/1512-buffalo-grass-lawns/
https://turf.unl.edu/NebGuides/EstablishingBuffalograssTurfNE_g1946.pdf
I suggest that you consider doing a soil test on the yard area you are thinking of seeding to Buffalograss to know what soil type, fertility and other soil characteristics you have to support Buffalograss. More info here: Don't Guess-Soil Test-MSU
In case you are a bit disappointed in the poor suitability of Buffalograss for use in Saginaw Co. lawns I will take the liberty to suggest another possibility: Pennsylvania sedge, Carex pensylvanica, although it is more suited to shade & sandy soil. See the attached link or search "Pennsylvania sedge site:edu" for more articles. https://arboretum.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2015/03/PI_Pennsylvania-Sedge.pdf