History of Buffelgrass in the United States

• Buffelgrass was first introduced in southern Arizona in the 1930s and was intended to provide foraging for livestock. Throughout the next 50 years, Arizona growers experimented with its use to control erosion and improve soil. In the 1980s, buffelgrass began to spread rapidly in multiple Southwestern states.
  
  

What Is Buffelgrass?

• Buffelgrass (Pennisetum ciliare) is a thick, hardy perennial grass that grows in thick clumps and can be more than 3½ feet tall and almost as large in diameter. It produces dense spikes of purple bristles when it flowers. Its roots can reach as far as 10 feet deep.
  
  

Why Is Buffelgrass Considered a Weed?

• Buffelgrass poses two dangers to areas. First, it grows thickly and quickly, crowding out more desirable native plants. Secondly, it is fire prone and contributes to the spread of devastating wildfires. A stand of buffelgrass can burn at more than 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit.
  
  

Why Does Buffelgrass Spread So Quickly?

• Buffelgrass can tolerate a wide range of moisture, from temperate conditions to drought. It produces many seeds, which are spread by the wind as well as birds and animals. Its deep roots allow it to survive the wildfires it can cause, which kill its weaker competition and allow it to spread.
  
  

Efforts to Eradicate Bufflegrass

• Buffelgrass can be killed through the use of herbicides or through manual removal of the plants. Herbicides will not be effective unless the plant is green and actively growing. If you're removing buffelgrass by hand, remove all of the root ball or else the plant will regrow. Dispose of the roots and do not use them in garden compost.