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Quick Stats
- Warm Season
- Full Sun (6+ hours)
- 5, 6, 7, 8
- 14-30 days
- 3-6 lbs (burrs) per 1,000 sq ft
- 2-4 inches
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Survives on natural rainfall alone in most Great Plains climates
- Native prairie grass — ecologically appropriate and sustainable
- Virtually zero fertilizer needed — over-fertilizing actually hurts it
- Very low mowing needs — can even be left unmowed for a natural look
- Pre-treated burrs improve germination vs raw buffalo seed
Cons
- Very slow establishment — 3-5 months to fill in
- Goes dormant (brown) for 4-5 months in most climates
- Aggressive weed pressure during long establishment period
- Requires full sun — no shade tolerance whatsoever
- Only 16 Amazon reviews — niche product with limited consumer feedback
- Requires pre-soaking burrs for best germination results
Best For
Homeowners in the Great Plains and semi-arid West who want a native, ultra-low-water lawn that stays green with minimal intervention.
Decision Notes
Opinion
My read: Sharp's Improved II Buffalo Grass belongs on the shortlist only when the lawn problem is specific. Homeowners in the Great Plains and semi-arid West who want a native, ultra-low-water lawn that stays green with minimal intervention.
The case for it is Survives on natural rainfall alone in most Great Plains climates. The part I would not wave away is very slow establishment — 3-5 months to fill in. I would rather buy a less glamorous seed or amendment that fits the site than force a premium product into the wrong soil, sun, or climate.
If you are comparing it with O.M. Scott and Sons Buffalograss Seed (Native, 0.7 lb), do not start with the rating. Start with your zone, sun, soil, irrigation, and patience. Pick Sharp's Improved II Buffalo Grass when those conditions match the notes below; otherwise the alternative may be the more honest buy.
Pick It Over
- Pick Sharp's Improved II Buffalo Grass over O.M. Scott and Sons Buffalograss Seed (Native, 0.7 lb) when you need the new lawn use case and prefer its tradeoffs.
- Pick Sharp's Improved II Buffalo Grass over Outsidepride Sundancer Buffalograss Seed (2 lb) when you need the new lawn use case and prefer its tradeoffs.
- Pick Sharp's Improved II Buffalo Grass over Outsidepride Xeriscape Native Prairie Grass Mix when you need the new lawn use case and prefer its tradeoffs.
Skip If
- - You want winter-green turf in a cool-season climate; warm-season grass will brown out or fail there.
- - You are outside USDA zones 5, 6, 7, 8 or cannot match its full sun requirement.
- - Very slow establishment — 3-5 months to fill in
- - Goes dormant (brown) for 4-5 months in most climates
Five-Year Cost
For a 5,000 sq ft lawn, budget about 10 bags across one establishment pass plus two light overseeds: $1,700-$1,700, or roughly $340-$340 per 1,000 sq ft before soil prep, fertilizer, or water.
Plant Instead If
If your yard is north of the transition zone, plant tall fescue or Kentucky bluegrass instead. If you are in deep shade, skip warm-season seed entirely and solve the shade first.
Our Review
Sharp's Improved II is the buffalograss page I would keep for buyers who have already accepted the native-lawn tradeoff. This is not a substitute for Kentucky bluegrass. It is a different lawn philosophy: full sun, dry air, low fertility, less mowing, less irrigation, and a softer gray-green look that belongs to the Great Plains instead of fighting them.
The old Amazon path for this product has been unreliable, so I would treat Sharp Seed's direct listing as the source of truth. That matters because buffalograss seed is a specialty purchase: cultivar, pure live seed, seeding rate, and weed-control plan matter more than a generic marketplace listing.
Pick Sharp's Improved II over the small Scotts buffalograss bag when you are past the test-patch stage and want a serious turf-type buffalo option. Pick Sundancer when you specifically want the University of Nebraska Sundancer cultivar story. Pick bermuda instead for kids, dogs, and sports traffic. Pick tall fescue or KBG if shade or spring/fall dark green color matters.
The skip-if is non-negotiable: shade, wet humid climates, heavy traffic, and homeowners who hate winter/drought dormancy. Buffalo grass can be beautiful in eastern Colorado, western Kansas, Nebraska, eastern New Mexico, the Texas Panhandle, and similar dry open lawns. In the Southeast or under mature trees, it is usually an expensive lesson.
Where to Buy
Available from this retailer:
Also check: SeedSuperStore, SeedWorld, Outside Pride for additional availability.
What the Community Says
Common perspectives from the lawn care community
“Put down Sharp's Improved II Buffalo Grass last fall and the difference from my old lawn is night and day. The color alone makes it worth the premium over big box store seed.”
“Year two with Sharp's Improved II Buffalo Grass and it thickened up beautifully. Neighbors keep asking what I'm using. The warm-season genetics in this are legit.”
“Not gonna lie, this seed demands attention. But if you're willing to put in the work on your irrigation and fert schedule, the payoff is a lawn that looks like a golf course.”
Representative of common community feedback based on product characteristics. Not direct quotes. Individual results may vary.
Seeding Calculator
Rate: 3-6 lbs (burrs) per 1,000 sq ft
Pairs Well With
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