Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum)
Keys to ID:
- Loose, drooping panicles that change from green to purple to brown.
- Leaves are light green and hairy.
Identification:
- Life cycle: Winter annual
- Growth Form: Grass
- Flower: The panicles measure 2-7.75 in. long, have numerous branches, retain an open quality and are generally nodding. The panicles bear from 3 to 8 drooping spikelets, each spikelet is 0.8-1.4 in. long. May to June.
- Seed/Fruit: Seeds encased in slender, straight awns, about 0.4 to 0.67 inches in length.
- Leaves: Leaves are light green and hairy. The lower sheaths are conspicuously hairy, whereas the upper sheaths are sometimes smooth. Sheaths are fused except near the node at the bottom of each sheath.
- Stems: Mature plants are generally 4-30 inches (10-75 cm) tall (Belliston et al. 2004).
- Roots: Fibrous
- Propagation: Seed can germinate in the fall or spring. When a seed germinates in the fall, the developing root system is able to expand over the winter, giving the plant an increased ability to exploit available water and nutrients in the spring.
Control:
Mech: Mowing cheatgrass is not recommended since seed can still be produced on mowed plants. A combination of hand pulling and tilling is most effective. Hand pull cheat grass in spring and fall and repeat when new plants appear. Till in spring and fall before seed heads turn purple and repeat when new plants appear.