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Bromus tectorum - L.

Common Name Cheat Grass, Downy Brome
Family Poaceae or Gramineae
USDA hardiness 7-10
Known Hazards The awns of the plant can cause mechanical injury to grazing animals[274].
Habitats Roadsides and waste places, also in thatched roofs in Eastern N. America[43].
Range S. Europe - Mediterranean. Naturalized in N. America.
Edibility Rating    (1 of 5)
Other Uses    (1 of 5)
Weed Potential Yes
Medicinal Rating    (1 of 5)
Care (info)
Frost Hardy Well drained soil Moist Soil Full sun
Bromus tectorum Cheat Grass, Downy Brome


http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:385_Bromus_tectorum_L.jpg
Bromus tectorum Cheat Grass, Downy Brome
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Don_Pedro28

 

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Summary


Physical Characteristics

 icon of manicon of flower
Bromus tectorum is a ANNUAL growing to 1 m (3ft 3in).
See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 8. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Wind.
Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in saline soils.
It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.

UK Hardiness Map US Hardiness Map

Synonyms

Plant Habitats

 Cultivated Beds;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Seed
Edible Uses: Coffee

Seed - cooked[257]. A famine food, the small seed can be cooked into a gruel in times of food shortage[257]. A coffee is made from the roasted seed[177].

References   More on Edible Uses

Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Miscellany

A paste made from the seeds is applied as a poultice to the chest to relieve chest pains[272].

References   More on Medicinal Uses

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Other Uses

Bedding  Miscellany

The leaves have been used as a bedding[257]. B. tectorum is the most abundant forage species on many intermountain area rangelands of the USA [1d].

Special Uses

References   More on Other Uses

Cultivation details

Succeeds in ordinary well-drained garden soil in a sunny position[138, 200].

References   Carbon Farming Information and Carbon Sequestration Information

Temperature Converter

Type a value in the Celsius field to convert the value to Fahrenheit:

Fahrenheit:

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Plant Propagation

Seed - sow spring or autumn in situ and only just cover. Germination should take place within 2 weeks.

Other Names

If available other names are mentioned here

bronco grass; cheat grass; cheatgrass; drooping brome grass; nodding brome grass; six weeks grass. Spanish: bromo velloso; espiguilla colgante. French: brome des toits. Canada: nodding brome. Germany: Dach- Trespe Italy: forasacco dei tetti. Japan: umanochahiki. Netherlands: muurdravik; zwenkdravik. Sweden: taklosta.

Native Range

TEMPERATE ASIA: Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Cyprus, Egypt (Sinai), Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia (Ciscaucasia), Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Federation (Dagestan), Russian Federation-Western Siberia (Western Siberia (southwest)), Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, China TROPICAL ASIA: India (northwest), Pakistan EUROPE: Denmark, Norway (south), Sweden (south), Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine (incl. Krym), Albania, Bulgaria, Greece (incl. Crete), Croatia, Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily), Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, France (incl. Corsica), Portugal AFRICA: Spain (Canarias), Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia

Weed Potential

Right plant wrong place. We are currently updating this section. Please note that a plant may be invasive in one area but may not in your area so it’s worth checking.

Bromus tectorum is one of the few invasive annual exotic species that is a major weed of rangelands and agronomic fields in North America. As an exotic weed it has been introduced to southern Russia, west central Asia, North America, Japan, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Iceland, and Greenland.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List of Threatened Plants Status : This taxon has not yet been assessed.

Related Plants
Latin NameCommon NameHabitHeightHardinessGrowthSoilShadeMoistureEdibleMedicinalOther
Bromus breviaristatusMountain BromePerennial0.8 -  LMHSNDM10 
Bromus carinatusCalifornian BromeAnnual/Biennial0.8 4-8  LMHSNDM101
Bromus inermisSmooth Brome, Pumpelly's bromePerennial1.2 3-7  LMHSNDM002
Bromus japonicusJapanese Chess, Field bromeAnnual/Biennial0.8 7-10  LMHSNDM10 
Bromus mangoMango, Mango bromeBiennial1.0 0-0  LMHSNM20 
Bromus marginatusMountain BromePerennial1.0 -  LMHSNDM101
Bromus ramosusHairy BromePerennial1.5 4-8  LMHSNDM01 
Bromus rigidusRipgut BromeAnnual1.0 6-9  LMHNDM10 
Bromus thominiiSoft BromeBiennial0.8 3-7  LMHSNDM10 

Growth: S = slow M = medium F = fast. Soil: L = light (sandy) M = medium H = heavy (clay). pH: A = acid N = neutral B = basic (alkaline). Shade: F = full shade S = semi-shade N = no shade. Moisture: D = dry M = Moist We = wet Wa = water.

 

Expert comment

Author

L.

Botanical References

200236

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